This document discusses using social networking sites like Ning for virtual fieldwork experiences in education. It describes how an English education professor at Montclair State University used Ning to connect her methods students with high school students in Virginia. The university students were able to read, comment on, and engage with the writings and discussions of the high school students. Both groups found the experience beneficial as it allowed for more feedback and interaction than traditional methods. The professor sees potential for Ning and similar sites to enhance educational experiences through virtual collaboration between classrooms.

1. It’s a Ning Thing: Using Social
Networking for Virtual Fieldwork
Laura Nicosia, PhD
Montclair State University
English Department

2. Ning

3. With Ning you can:
Upload profile pictures or avatars
Upload videos, documents or urls
Start & moderate discussion forums
Create groups
Create FAQ pages
Post & monitor blogs
Invite members

4. This is the site I created for English Ed 2+ years ago

5. It’s easy to navigate and to manage:

6. It’s easy to navigate and to manage:

7. It’s easy to navigate and to manage:

8. It’s easy to navigate and to manage:
You invite people by email

9. It’s easy to navigate and to manage:
You invite people by email

10. It’s easy to navigate and to manage:
You invite people by email
You promote the site

11. It’s easy to navigate and to manage:
You invite people by email
You promote the site

12. It’s easy to navigate and to manage:
You invite people by email
You promote the site
Upload pictures
from CCL sites

13. It’s easy to navigate and to manage:
You invite people by email
You promote the site
Upload pictures
from CCL sites

14. It’s easy to navigate and to manage:
You invite people by email
You promote the site
Upload pictures
from CCL sites
You can Delete
your site

15. Here’s my
page I am the
Administrator
& Creator of
our network
of nearly 200
members. I
communicate
policies, job
openings &
events via
Ning.

16. I have created, used &
participated in several
Ning sites:
Sue Nobles, a
secondary school
teacher, & I piloted this
site, where MSU
students joined Virginia
high school students
and corresponded with
them about their
writings and journal
entries
Note: Student names and identifying data have
been removed to protect their privacy.

17. During Spring ’09 I piloted Ning in
my Methods classes—calling it
“virtual fieldwork”
My Methods classes were paired with 2 English classes at
a public high school in Fredericksburg,VA.
They read the students’ writings (blogs, discussion
forums & mini-essays) and left feed-back.
They asked critical thinking questions and provoked the
secondary students to dig deeper for their responses.
They communicated with the classroom teacher—asking
her questions and suggesting resources for her to use.

18. These are the sites my classes used:

19. These are the sites my classes used:

20. These are the sites my classes used:

21. My students read the HS students’ discussions

22. The teacher established these directions:
MSU students responded:

23. Each of her students received dozens of readings
with constructive comments and suggestions:
Look at all the
responses!
How often can an individual instructor respond with this
kind of frequency and depth?

24. My undergraduate student responded to the student’s
forum comment about Desdemona’s characterization.

25. MSU students offered “real time” responses
One of my
graduate
students
responded
with this
thoughtful
and
constructive
posting

26. The classroom teacher writes to my students

27. This pilot was a success.
Currently, the classroom teacher and I are
reflecting on our experiences and assessing
the benefits and weaknesses of this pilot.
—To be continued.

28. Thank you!
Laura Nicosia, Phd
English Department
Montclair State University
nicosiala@mail.montclair.edu