Social networking tools provide new opportunities for education by allowing learning to become a visible cumulative process for students and teachers through forums like wikis, blogs, and discussion boards. These social media promote complex and lasting retention of ideas compared to traditional learning. Educators should consider how new skills are needed to operate and learn within social networks.

1. Social Networking and Education Sarah Bodell 2007

2. A Network

3. Networks are the most important organisational form of our time. What new ways of learning and working, what new knowledge and skills will be required to operate in and through these networks? Mason and Rennie 2007

4. Why use social networks in Education? Social networking applications provide a forum in which the cumulative process of concept formation, refinement, application and vision is fully visible to students and teachers. Such media can promote more complex and lasting retention of ideas. Boettcher 2007

5. Social networking tools Wikis Blogs Networking websites Second Life Discussion forums Instant messaging Social bookmarking Photo-sharing sites

8. Our experience of learning via social networks

10. A final thought