What do kids learn from social networking? Jørn asks this question in his blog. http://jbeict.blogspot.com/2012/02/what-do-kids-learn-from-social.html?showComment=1329725389085#c543362177522472935
I would like to answer this question using my experiences, pros and cons.
I think for many people, teachers and parents included, social networks these days are associated with facebook, msn messenger and twitter. Jørn's "conclusion" is to start in an early age. With facebook? No, I don't think so. With closed forums in the classroom, like moodle? Yes, I think it is a good idea.
Sometimes I get friend requests at facebook from my pupils. Some times as young as 2nd graders. As a principle I never accept request from students who attends at the school where I'm working. When they start at junior high, I don't teach them anymore and then I think it's ok. I'm not the one updating my status often, but I think it's required to split profession and privacy.
Well, the point is. What are these young kids doing at facebook? If their friends at theese social networks are they teachers...? As a teacher I would never thought of sending messages related to school by facebook, twitter or msn messenger. And I'm not interessted in telling these kids about my dinnerplans etc. Of course I can tell them about my skiing trip in the weekend, but then I'll do it at school on Monday! I don't need to tweet them that.
In the same way I don't think young kids need to share thoughts and experiences by using sosial networks. I think they should put some clothes on, walk out the door and go tell their friends.
By the other side, when to start?
When I'm doing my pros I like to use some of Jørns points. At his school he says, they start in an early age to use a learning management system. And that I think its a great idea! We do the same at my school. They learn to log in the first week at school and then they have started. Of course they don't write blogposts the first year, but they are in the system. Using the links, listening to topics, watching movies. And it'is all organized by the teachers. There is a controll by the pupils' use of the network!
I don't think parents are sitting beside the children all the time they are using the computer at home. The don't have the controll at all time.
But at school we should have. LMS's are great tools introducing the pupils to social networking. Most LMS's have all opportunities for making blog posts, forums, discussions etc. By learning to use the safe versions, and by us theachers and adults givning the pupils good guidance in safe internetuse we have started on a long, but important "road" for the kids.
Use the LMS for safe social networking:)
