After reading the blog that Dr. Lowell refered us to, apophenia – danah boyd, I would have to say that Danah Boyd brought up some really good points regarding MySpace and Facebook sites, aka SNS (Social Networking Sites). I also agree with Boyd when she states that these types of websites really don’t have a place in the classroom setting. These sites are basically supportative tools for students beyond the classroom in that they provide a wonderful opportunity for students to communicate with each other but they are not educational and I am not really sure how they could be used as an educational tool (I will have to give that some thought!). Most students use sites such as Facebook and MySpace as a way to communicate with the individuals they already know and most are afraid to go beyond that small group because of what they have been “taught” about Internet safety and the people that are out there. Which as a teacher and a parent, I am really glad that this is the case.
Maybe as educators we need to rethink the SNS and try to tap into the appeal that they have with the young generation. As educators, we all know that we need all the help we can get to keep the youth actively involved in the educational process
