andrew.taylor@gpschools.org

1. Facebook-ish, Without the Headachesandrew.taylor@gpschools.org bit.ly/ayHtmW

2. Capture the benefits of social networking tools like Facebook without worrying about privacy and appropriateness. Ning is a free, closed-group social network that you can set up easily just for your students. Learn how to use it as a discussion forum, blog, and video and photo-sharing tool.

8. Ning is a social networking site akin to Facebook and Myspace. You can tap the interactivity of those tools but keep it entirely under your control. Manageable for the classroom experience Facilitates communication among members Students already have the experience necessary to begin use immediately

9. Interface locked down, cluttered Users decide what features to add Privacy is a concern if poorly used No clear purpose Cleaner, less hectic interface Site administrator controls everything Multiple security options Developed around a focus, purpose

10. Facebook vs. Ning

12. Gina Bianchini Ning CEO

15. Don Tapscott Author, ‘Grown Up Digital’

17. WHAT MAKES SOCIAL NETWORKING EDUCATIONAL? “It's a fantastic tool for extending class discussions beyond the constraints of class time. In addition, it offers a venue for students who are sometimes reluctant to participate in class to hear their voices heard.”

20. What kind of Ningsare out there already?

29. CLASSROOM USES What do students think? “Some like it, others don't. I think one of the problems is they want social networking to be free of school - it is their separate world. That is just my take, though.”

38. It could be worse Mr. President

39. START WITHA SINGLE PROJECT

41. Boo Radley meets the 21st Century

43. CLASS WEB SITES A teacher says: “They like the fact that they can review class notes.”

54. Creating An Account

55. Name, e-mail, free

56. Privacy You decide who to allow in

59. Appearance Templates, or HTML control

61. Features You decide what to activate

70. Help is on the way

72. How to have the ads removed Sign in to the Ning Help Center first. Click the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of the page. The "Ask Our Team a Question" form then appears. In the first field (“I have a question about”) select “a network that I have created.” A new field with a pull down menu will appear (“I specifically want to know”) and you should choose “General Question.” A window will appear where you need to choose a specific topic. Please choose “other” at the end of the list. In the “Network URL” field please give the network address of the educational network you are asking Ning to make ad-free. In the message portion of the ticket, please specifically write that you are requesting an ad-free network for education.

77. Management Resources Acceptable Use Policy Grading Online Discussions

80. Let the students mix it up The Shining

81. START WITH A PLAN

86. Teachers say: Ways to start “To provide a location - accessible to my students only - for class resources.” “Announcements, notes, assignments” “My original goal was to use it as both a place to post assignments and to create a space where students could talk about course content outside of class.”

88. The secret’s out

89. Resources Setting up a Ning site: Joshua Fenton, Inland Area Writing Project Social Networking Made Easy with Ning, Karen Huffman, 2009 Computers in Libraries Create Your Own Social Network with Ning, Bethany Smith, transparentlearning.blogspot.com Image credits: Gate, Bee, Bees, Tightrope, Guinea Pigs

90. Facebook-ish, Without the Headachesandrew.taylor@gpschools.org bit.ly/ayHtmW