Social_networks

= Social networks =


 * What are social networks?**
 * **Social networks** are technology-facilitated groups of people who have common interests. Examples you may be familiar with are MySpace and Facebook. The whole point of social networks is to connect with other people (your "friends") and exchange thoughts and ideas.
 * Some of the things you can do on many social networks include setting up a page, keeping a blog, have a comment "wall" (this is a place where friends can write you notes), post videos and audio clips, join groups, post on a forum (for the whole community), comment on other people's posts.

> [|Quick start for Classroom 2.0] 2. Think of a way you could use a social network in your professional or personal life. Click the discussion tab above to add your idea.
 * Workshop activities:**
 * 1) Sign up for [|Classroom 2.0] (you may have done this already) and set up a page.
 * Write a first entry on your Classroom 2.0 blog.
 * Become friends with [|Karen]. Write on our comment walls! See if there are other people you know on Classroom 2.0.
 * See if there are any forum posts that you can add a comment to (or write a post of your own).
 * Join groups that are of interest to you.


 * Other social networking tools to explore:**
 * [|MySpace] (This may not be a network you think you "fit in," but it's valuable to see where kids are hanging out.)
 * [|Facebook]
 * [|Second Life]
 * [|More nings] (like Classroom 2.0, but a wide variety of topics; you can even create your own)
 * [|Elgg]


 * Social networks** **in education - classroom ideas**:
 * Professional learning communities
 * Class web site
 * Interactive faculty space
 * Science fairs or other project-based events


 * Social networks in education - links:**
 * [|Social networking in an English class] (video)
 * [|Global education collaborative]
 * [|Gifted education ning]
 * [|EFL ning]
 * [|ISTE's pages on various networks]

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 * More resources**:
 * Social networking in plain English
 * [|Social Networking: Learning Theory in Action] (THE Journal article)