Social+Networking

**Social Networking**
====A social networking service is a website that focuses on building and reflecting of social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network consists of a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of additional services like instant messaging. Social networking sites include Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr, and are the result of Web 2.0 technologies. The phrase Web 2.0 refers to user-created content, that is websites that people can contribute to in real time. This is in contrast to traditional websites where users are limited to passive viewing of content that was created for them, and relates to the ICT as Support for Learning Conversations paradigm. ====


 * The potential impact of social networking on teaching and learning is massive and needs to be discussed in every school. This page provides some background reading, examples of use, and links to resources that may be useful in having this conversation. **

**Cyber Citizenship:** These pages provide ideas and information about safe and responsible classroom use of social networking:
 * Social Networking Considerations for Schools:a discussion document produced by Netsafe.org
 * Digital Citizenship in N.Z Schools: an overview produced by Netsafe.org
 * Who is They?: A discussion about the issues surrounding network protections in schools
 * Social Networking Tips for Teachers: Written by Facebook's Chief Security Officer and deals with the safe use of this site by teachers

**Background Reading:** General reading social networking and its use in schools:
 * The History of Social Networking
 * Learning Now: social Networking Archive: a series of interesting articles by educational blogger Andy Carvin
 * How to use Social-NetworkingTechnology for Learning
 * Using the Technology of Today in the Classroom of Today: The Instructional Power of Digital Games, Social Networking, Simulations
 * Not all who Tweet are Twits

**Research:** These pages present academic research around the use of social networking in schools:
 * The End of Isolation: a study into the classroom use of Twitter
 * Classroom Uses of Social Network sites: Traditional Practices or New Literacies?
 * 13 Enlightening Case Studies of Social Media in the Classroom

**Education-related Social Networking Sites:**  Social networks developed especially for children, teachers and schools:
 * SuperClubsPLUS: Telstra New Zealand's child-friendly, school endorsed social networking site
 * Edmodo: American based social networking site designed for children and schools
 * 20 Social Networking Sites for Teachers: professional networks and communities

**Classroom Use:**  Ideas and examples of social networking use in classrooms:
 * Fun Ways to use Facebook in your Class
 * 35 Interesting ways to use Twitter in the Classroom
 * 5 Card Flickr Story
 * Using Facebook Profiles for Character Analysis