Social Networking in an Educational Setting

A very useful platform for building your class social network is Ning.

Unlike most social networking sites, Ning offers teachers and administrators a variety of control features, including these six:

1. Strict control of network membership networks can be made public or private).
   
2. The ability of administrators to remove or edit content created by any user.
   
3. The flexible control of network features (communication and notification features can be added or removed).
   
4. Minimal (and custom) information requirements for user sign-up.
   
5. Ad-free networks for K-12 classrooms.
   
6. The reporting of all network activities (e.g. blog/media posts and commenting through RSS feeds) making it easier for teachers to react, if necessary, to inappropriate posts.
   

Other social networks worth exploring are:

• Imbee, another free network for kids, teachers and parents;
• StudyCurve, a free network with tutoring and homework help

Resources for social networking safety include:

• Classroom 2.0 - A social networking site focused on Web 2.0 technologies in education.
  
• Digizen - A superb online safety site from the U.K.
  
• Media Awareness Network - An excellent media literacy study from Canada.
  
• NetSmartz - A comprehensive online safety site, great for children.

All the above resources are available under the Resources list in this blog.