Why Social Networks are Good
All the way back in August I wrote a post with the title “Why Social Networks Are Bad.” I wrote the piece with the full intention of following up with this counterpoint on why social networks are good. Here we are, 96 days later – and I am finally getting around to it. So much for good intentions…
The problems I described in August really fell into two categories. There were problems of abuse. People misuse social networks in ways that hurt students/kids. Teachers think they are in a sheltered environment and behave unprofessionally. And there were problems that had to do with educators coping with change. Why do I have to learn to use blogs and Twitter and Facebook when I can just give the kids pencil and paper and make them write a five point essay…?
The truth is simple. Social networks and digital reality is here to stay. Barring the collapse of civilization and a reversion to life without electricity our students are going to IM and email, blog and Twitter, and sign up for MySpace (or something like it) before they’re really old enough.
We should like that. All of a sudden there are a variety of literacy behaviors out there that students view as recreational and social. We should encourage it. We should participate in it. We should build it into our curriculum.
Students who use online social networks are highly motivated to read and to write. We should learn to cope with the change that entails. And we should find a way to deal with the abuse that arises around social networking. And we should embrace it.
Social network is good for education.
I whole heartedly agree! My daughter is attending an online academy this year. One of the tools they encourage the use of, is the online social center. Granted most of the students live thousands of miles from one another and this may be their only way of socializing with their classmates, but it works. My daughter loves the fact that there are no clicks, no stigmas that are imposed by attire, appearance, or accents and no desire to batter down someone else’s self esteem. Not only have they established strong bonds of friendship, they often form their own discussion groups for the latest novel assigned, or tackle tough social concerns that are affecting their generation. The best part of all, is when the kids call in a few of the parents to add their opinions to the discussions. Believe it or not, it happens more often than you would expect.