This document discusses social networking and provides information about different types of social networking services. It begins by defining social networking as online spaces that facilitate communication and sharing between networks of contacts. It then describes common types of social networking services like profile-based services, content-based services, and virtual environments. The document also addresses educational uses of social networking and provides examples of Facebook pages created by schools and libraries.

1. EDU 626 Integrating Educational TechnologySummer 2011Social Networking

2. What is social networking?In 2008, 58% Had No Cluereport from Synovate . . . showing that 58% of adults worldwide don’t know “what social networking is.” The report polled only users 18-65 in age, leaving out the teenagers that make up much of the current audience for social networks – especially the world’s two largest – Facebook and MySpace.What is Social Networking? 58% Still Have No Clue September 3rd, 2008 | by Adam Ostrow

3. By the end of 2010, more people knew!Harris Poll:Of 2,331 adults surveyed online between December 6 and 13, 2010 by Harris Interactivea majority of U.S. adults are using social media (65%), and a similar number say they have received a positive benefit from its useThe Pros, Cons and Learning Curve of Social MediaJanuary 18, 2011

4. Let the “Plain English” guys explain!A short introduction to the concepts behind social networking websites. Shared on YouTube, dotSUB (translations) and TeacherTube.

5. What Is Social Networking?social networking and a social networkSocial networking sites provide efficient ways for individuals (and individual businesses) to find and connect with friends and colleagues, to establish new relationships and deepen them, and to introduce friends and colleagues to each other. Many social networking sites also offer platforms for discussion of topics that a community or network finds mutually interesting or beneficial. In the most concise terms, a social network is a group of like-minded individuals connected by a common interest. Liz Strauss wrote this at 7:02 amJanuary 28, 2009

6. What are social networking services?Social networking services can be broadly defined as Internet- or mobile-device-based social spaces designed to facilitate communication, collaboration and content sharing across networks of contacts. Social networking services typically support the public display of networks, although they may offer privacy restrictions or facilitate closed communities. Download booklet PDF 3.72mb

7. Types of social networking servicesProfile-based social networking servicesProfile-based services are primarily organised around members’ profile pages – pages that mainly consist of information about an individual member, including the person’s picture and details of interests, likes and dislikes. Bebo, Facebook and MySpace are all good examples of profile-based services.

8. Types of social networking servicesContent-based social networking servicesIn these services, the user’s profile remains an important way of organising connections, but plays a secondary role to the posting of content. Photo-sharing site Flickr is an example of this type of service, one in which groups and comments are based around pictures.Shelfari is one of the current crop of book-focused sites, with the member’s “bookshelf” being a focal point of each member’s profile.

9. Types of social networking servicesWhite-label social networking servicesMost social networking services offer some group-building functionality, which allows users to form mini-communities within sites. Platforms such as PeopleAggregator[apparently no longer available as a web app, though it can be downloaded] and Ning, which launched in 2004 [but is no longer free, except as sponsored networks for educators], offer members a different model. These sites offer members the opportunity to create and join communities.

10. Multi-user virtual environments Sites such as Second Life and World of Warcraft – online virtual environments – allow users to interact with each other’s avatars. (An avatar is a virtual representation of the site member.) Although the users have profile cards, their functional profiles are the characters they customise or build and control. Friends lists are usually private and not publicly shared or displayed.Types of social networking services

11. Mobile social networking services Many social networking sites, for example MySpace and Twitter, offer mobile phone versions of their services, allowing members to interact with their friends via their phones. Micro-blogging/presence updates Micro-blogging services such as Twitter and Jaiku allow you to publish short (140 characters, including spaces) messages publicly or within contact groups. Types of social networking services

13. Another type Social bookmarking sitesSocial Bookmarking is simply taking the existing bookmark function used in browsers, and making it sharable with other people, or “Social”. To organize all the bookmarks, you and other users can tag or label bookmarks. This means that other people can search for that particular label or tag to find your bookmark along with other related results.Furthermore, you and other users can rate bookmarks using either a simple “Good” & “Bad” system, or a 1 to 5 gold stars system, or something similar. Just What Are Social Bookmarking Sites?

14. Some social bookmarking sitesTop 15 Most Popular Social Bookmarking Websites July 2011tagfootis no more

15. Facebook and friending studentsOnline student-teacher friendships can be trickyTeachers such as Turner believe sites like MySpace help them connect with their students about homework, tutoring and other school matters. But others fear the social-networking sites are breeding inappropriate relationships between teachers and students.By Mallory Simon CNNupdated 10:00 a.m. EDT, Wed August 13, 2008

16. Reasons to be familiar with Facebook1. It is where many kids live. Malls and parks may be too dangerous for them to venture alone also, depending on where you live and where they may go.Would you stay away from malls and parks because bad things may happen there?2. If you are a parent, you need to be knowledgeable. By friending your own offspring, and possible nieces, nephews, grandchildren, etc,. you can be aware of this important part of their livesDr. Mary Ann Bell on LM_NET (listserv for school librarians)

17. More reasonsRead also: Facebook FracasBy Kathy Ishizuka -- School Library Journal, 4/1/20093. How can you teach kids to be safe and smart if you are not up to speed on what really matters to them regarding their online use? Studies show that kids whose parents are online WITH them are much safer users than those who just stay away.4. Fear based instruction does not work for online safety than it does for sex ed or driving or any other topic.5. Read Nancy Willard’s works on this topic.Dr. Mary Ann Bell on LM_NET (listserv for school librarians)

18. Facebook’s own suggested solutions?As an educator, how can I maintain a professional presence on the site separate from my personal profile?Facebook offers several options that will allow you to do this: Create a friend list specifically for your students. This will allow you to control which parts of your profile are visible to your students, keep track of the list’s activity separately, and send bulk messages — like homework assignments and invites — to the group all at once.See next slide for more!

19. Other ways to maintain a professional presence on FacebookCreate a page — Ms. Smith’s 9th Grade Science Class, for example. Pages are great for broadcasting information to people on Facebook. Pages are free, you can control them with your personal profile, and they keep your profile separate from your students. Anyone who “likes” your page will automatically receive updates.Create a group where you and your students can connect, share, and collaborate — American Literature 101 Discussions, for example — or a group where educators in your department can collaborate on lesson plans and share ideas.Privacy » As an educator, how can I maintain a professional presence on the site separate from my personal profile?

20. Previously called Facebook fan pagesWhy is a Page a better solution than a personal account for artists, businesses, or brands? Personal accounts are optimized for individuals, not artists, businesses, or brands. Facebook Pages allow artists, businesses, and brands to showcase their work and interact with fans. These pages come pre-installed with custom functionality designed for each category.Facebook Pages: Promoting your Page and Page Insights » Why is a Page a better solution than a personal account for artists, businesses, or brands?Facebook: Why create a page?

21. Some local Facebook pagesNotice:Pages will be publicly viewable, so people searching for a particular artist or company on the World Wide Web will find the Page’s Facebook presence and be able to view that Page’s photo and basic information.

22. Some Public Library Facebook Pages

23. Educational uses for Facebook?Best Practices for Educators Using Facebooka presentation from Classroom 2.0 Live . . . about best practices for educators using facebookDriving Engagement and Belonging with FacebookEdumorphology Posted on February 7, 2008Best Practices For Using Facebook For Educational Use“How do I get my administration and IT department to unblock Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube?” I gave some suggestions on how to do just that in this article.Creating A Facebook Page For Your SchoolUsing Facebook GroupsMonitoring Facebook PagesFERPA And Student PrivacyPosted by Thomas J. West on February 1, 2011 at 6:58 AM

24. A secure social networkSaywire provides a unique and engaging online learning platform in which people can create private, secure communities to collaborate and communicate with one another. Each Saywire community provides its members with a wide set of tools to quickly and easily build their own autonomous communities or “Spaces” as we call them, within the confines of their organization's parent community. Learn more.

25. Another social network for educationEdmodo is a free and secure social learning network for teachers, students and schools. Edmodo provides classrooms a safe and easy way to connect and collaborate, offering a real-time platform to exchange ideas, share content, and access homework, grades and school notices.Accessible online and from any mobile device via free smart phone applications, Edmodo has grown from a teacher tool into a district-wide resource as word of the free online service spreads through schools around the world.

26. A site for school bands

27. The Facebook killer?Google +Morecomparison hereGoogle Plus vs. Facebook: 6 Things Google+ Has That Facebook Doesn’tThe Huffington Post | Bianca Bosker First Posted: 7/15/11

29. Reactions to the debatedanah boyd in her blog apopheniaIn their current incarnation, social network sites (SNSs) like Facebook and MySpace should not be integrated directly into the classroom. That said, they provide youth with a valuable networked public space to gather with their peers. Depending on the role of school in their lives, youth leverage these structures for educational purposes - asking questions about homework, sharing links and resources, and even in some cases asking their teachers for information outside of the classroom. SNSs do not make youth engage educationally; they allow educationally-motivated youth with a structure to engage educationally. The Economist Debate on Social “Networking”January 15th, 2008

30. A respected education bloggerWill Richardson:Social Networks (No) vs. Social Tools (Yes) in SchoolsOften in my presentations I ask how many folks are teaching MySpace or Facebook in their schools. Not teaching withMySpace, but teaching the literacies of networking through the lens of a SNS. Rarely do more than a few hands go up. I wonder what would happen if we contextualized our approach not in the fears that our kids will get themselves in trouble by using these sites but, instead, in the spirit of encouraging them to experience the socialization that danah speaks of.

31. That debate was in 2008Have things changed in 3 years?Social networking sites and our livesPew Internet Report Jun 16, 2011 by Keith Hampton, Lauren Sessions Goulet, Lee Rainie, Kristen PurcellFindings:Facebook users are more trusting than others. Facebook users have more close relationships.Facebook users get more social support than other people.Facebook users are much more politically engaged than most people.Facebook revives “dormant” relationships. Social networking sites are increasingly used to keep up with close social ties. MySpace users are more likely to be open to opposing points of view.Do these findings make social networking services (SNS) OK to use in our teaching—or are they an argument against using SNS?