Journal Entry 2 -Social Networking for the K-12 Set

For this journal entry I am asked to respond to the article “Social Networking for the K–12 Set” by Jim Klein. As I was going through the article, I noticed the amount of technical terms and ideas coming out of it. In contrast to the article from journal one, I feel that is article may be a little too difficult for it’s target audience to comprehend. As someone who fully understands these terms and ideas I found this article to be a much more interesting read and held my interest through out. I feel like the idea of the social networking site for classrooms, schools, and districts is a novel idea. The creators of the site discussed in the article have come up with solutions to all the common downfalls of social networking sites while highlighting and utilizing the positives. They have even created a place for RSS feeds, podcasts, and mp3s, all aspects of Web 2.0 that most students use on a daily basis without second thought. Focusing on content controls and access, teachers and administrators have the ability to decide what content is appropriate for the site without any major knowledge of technology. With training provided, I feel that this tool is the future of the classroom and will be effectively developed in the years to come.

Question 1: How does a teacher keep content appropriate for students?

When the teacher has the ultimate authority to make content accessible, content can be effectively filtered to keep out unwanted content. With social networking sites like the one discussed in the article, which are specifically created for use in the classroom, developers are able to create this level of administrator security while still maintaining functionality.

Question 2: What are the benefits of using social networks in the classroom?

Teachers who utilize social networks in the classroom are able to connect more students to each other and other teachers. In doing so, students are able to look at things from a wider variety of point of views than in traditional courses. The are also able to obtain aid from other teachers and students who they normally would not have access to.