Our students are very involved in social networking. As educators, it is much simpler to use these natural interests for educational purposes. I've seen templates where students can create a Facebook profile for a character. And while this activity is fine and good, it is best when students are engaged in social networking for authentic purposes.
I attended an Alan November training last summer. We used a Ning site to post to a discussion forum. Later, I looked into Ning social networks. Unfortunately, they now charge for this service. I read an article that mentioned Buddy Press as a comparable, free alternative to Ning.
I feel that a social network could be a resource that I "grow" into using, but I'm not sure that it will be making an appearance in my classroom this school year.
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