ISTE-Social Networking

So here's a bonus ISTE post for you...deep within the bowels of the PACC.

Right now I'm sitting in on a session on how to convince schools to use more social networking tools (not necessarily facebook and twitter, but social networking) presented by Will Richardson.  Don't worry, everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) has a computer on their lap and they are either tweeting, blogging, or anything else of that sort.  It's part of the program.  So I'm not being rude, just doing what I'm told :-). 

The traditional answer to a suggestion about something "radical" like social networking is to say "Yeah, but..."  A totally reasonable answer: schools may not have time, budgets, or resources for using such tools.  I feel like the most important "Yeah, but..." is the privacy/security aspect.  Schools have to cover themselves legally.  Whenever you give students an opportunity to collaborate online (especially when collaborating with teachers), there are inherent risks involved.  We hear too many stories about people in power (**cough cough** Anthony Weiner**cough cough) doing...shall we say...inappropriate things on social networks that schools simply cannot afford to allow kids to be exposed to, especially on school property.  The rub though is that kids are going to go to places like facebook and twitter off of school time.  They're going to use the stuff, so how can schools tap into that resource to aid in instruction?

The answer isn't necessarily in facebook or twitter.  There are several tools online (including ones I have used) that provide safe, secure, and most importantly free access for students to collaborate online with each other and with the teacher.  One that I use is Edmodo.  If you check it out, you'll notice that the interface is very similar to the UI for facebook, so it's not hard for kids to figure out how to use it.  Since it so similar to a tool most kids and teachers already know (facebook), it doesn't take much time to learn.  There is a small degree of personalization available, but that's not the point.  The point is to use the space as a meeting place for online collaboration outside of school time (and in-class if the opportunity presents itself). 

The reality is that students are going to be far more tech-savvy than their teacher counterparts, if only because they have spent their entire lives growing up with it (although teachers are coming around...just look at me :-)).  Social networking tools are going to be parts of kids lives so schools really are doing them a disservice by not including them as part of their education.  There are several "Yeah, buts..." that can be discussed (time, security, academic honest is another one), when used properly, social networking tools can be very powerful, engaging, and even encourage students to collaborate even more for their own benefit.  Anybody have any ideas on how social networking can be benefical for education?  Leave them in the comments. 

This WILL be my final post from Philadelphia.  It has been fun.  I have one more comment to make, and I need to get this off my chest...I've been bottling it up since I've been here.  So if you'll indulge me for just a minute.

HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!!!!!!

OK...that's done.  I'll see everyone back in MD.