Wan+Y.+blog+post+analysis

​​Wan Y

TO: Social Networking FROM: Yichi Wan SUBJECT: Educational Benefits of Social Networking DATE: Jan 31, 2010

We were asked to analyze a blog post or news item to help us prepare Proximity's spring survey. Below is my summary of a //Education Week// article which indicates that Social Networking can have educational benefits. I suggest that Towson University should find ways to harness the educational value of social networking. Because Proximity is a consulting group, which means we can consult with school systems to help them develop social networking capabilities - thus we need to find out if students really think they are worthwhile for classes**.**


 * What benefits Social networking** **prov​ides**

Social n etworking is the grouping of individuals into specific groups. Social networking websites such as F acebook, YouTube , and the school's Blackboard website function like an online community of users. Depending on the websites in question, many of these online community members share common interests in hobbies, religion, or politics.

However, social networking websites are not just for fun. AsCatherine Gewertz from //Education Week// indicate s that social neworking has its educational benefits not only to the students but also to the teachers. For example, students can disscuss thier questions from the classes on these social networoking websites, such as facebook or school blackboard. They can also doing their group work through these social networking websites. Teachers can answer and grade their students questions by these social networking websites,too.


 * Why Social Network service is important**

Many teachers in states like Virginia uses social networking to communicate assignments, curriculum content, or other classroom information. Nearly half the districts said schools participate in online collaborative projects with other schools. Most parents believe social-networking technology holds great potential to help children improve their reading, writing, or social skills.


 * Questions to ask TU students**
 * What kind of social networking websites do you use?
 * What kind of educational benefits you've gotten from the social networking websites?
 * How often do you use social networking websites for studying?

__Reference__


 * B__e__low is the best I can do regarding the article - this is a summary from the print version - your original article was from the online edition.**

Education Week August 29, 2007

Teenagers' Social Networking Found to Have  Educational Benefits in Poll


 * SECTION:** Pg. 4 Vol. 27 No. 1


 * LENGTH:** 263 words

At least half the adolescents who exchange messages for hours with their friends online or by cellphone spend part of the time discussing their schoolwork, a study shows. The online survey of 1,277 9- to 17-year-olds found that 50 percent said they talk specifically about their schoolwork when they text-message by cellphone, or use their computers to instant-message, blog, or visit  social -connection sites such as Facebook. Nearly six in 10 said they discuss education-related topics, including college or college planning, careers, and jobs. The survey, commissioned by the Alexandria, Va.-based National School Boards Association and released this month, showed that 96 percent of adolescents with access to cellphones and Internet-capable computers use them to build and maintain  social networks. It was supported by the Microsoft Corp.; News Corp., which owns MySpace; and Verizon. The NSBA's report urges school board members to "find ways to harness the educational value" of  social networking, such as setting up chat rooms or online journals that allow students to talk about and collaborate on their classwork. School boards should also do everything possible to ensure that all students have access to the Internet, the group says. The report also tells boards to re-evaluate policies that ban or tightly restrict the use of the Internet or social-networking sites at school. Findings from the survey, NSBA officials said, suggest that parents' and educators' perceptions of the dangers of online stalking and bullying--fears that fuel such restrictions--could be overblown.


 * [[image:http://www.lexisnexis.com.proxy-tu.researchport.umd.edu/us/lnacademic/images/s.gif width="1" height="10"]] ||