Chapter 9/Social Networks

Using social networking sites students are participating in "self-directed, peer-based learning" where they are using the internet not just to connect with peers but also with those who have the same interests and passions the author states "complicates what we do as educators a great deal!" pg 132  Facebook is here to stay...and as the author suggest we best get to know how it operates so that we will be speaking the same language or that we are all on the same page, students, teachers, administrators and parents.......Richardson's stresses  that we have a responsibility to engage in a discussion on how to best model social networking usage...and stop putting our heads in the sand as if it isn't important or that it has no place in schools.. "no teacher should be denied exploration of a technology that with good pedagogy could be a valuable learning tool for students, or, more importantly, could provide important context for learning"..pg 134 Having said that, he continues to say that first we should just explore the potential use in our personal lives before bringing it into the classroom...I have friends who are in both camps..those who use facebook and those who don't...those who don't, won't because of the fear of "Big Brother" watching or the potential for becoming a cyber-victim.  But our kids are using these sites and it is up to us adults to watch over them and protect them. We can only do that if we ourselves become comfortable with how it all works.  Then we can explore ways to use the social connection sites to help our students and to make learning more exciting...