| Considering that today's students were born | | | | process by showing mastery of a specific topic or |
| wired, and live and play in the world of the Web, | | | | concept. All parties can interact to ask questions, |
| the challenge for many teachers and | | | | share knowledge, and relay experiences. The |
| administrators is meeting students on their own | | | | proliferation of ideas never needs to be stagnant. |
| turf and adapting to the students' medium of | | | | This concept applies not only within a specific |
| choice. Specifically, the emergence of social | | | | classroom, but across all classrooms that can now |
| networks has created a technical gap between | | | | share a common learning environment - a |
| teachers, students, and parents unlike any that | | | | common social network. To take it a step further, |
| has previously existed. The need to use | | | | the concept not only applies to all classrooms |
| technology in the classroom is becoming more | | | | sharing that same learning environment, but to all |
| important every day. Clearly, social networking will | | | | classrooms across time. |
| be at the core of any technology that is to | | | | Consider, as an example, a lesson that was |
| succeed in the classroom. | | | | taught in the classroom just ten years ago: The |
| Although some teachers are hesitant to use social | | | | lesson was introduced, a discussion followed, and |
| networking (also referred to as Web 2.0) - | | | | the lesson ended. |
| considering privacy issues and a potentially steep | | | | Now, consider that same lesson as it is taught in a |
| learning curve - it's important that they learn to | | | | Web 2.0 embraced environment: The lesson is |
| understand and use these tools that are becoming | | | | introduced, and an online discussion follows. But |
| increasingly embedded in the lives of their | | | | this discussion includes the viewpoints and |
| students. | | | | experiences of students, teachers, administrators, |
| However, social networks such as MySpace and | | | | and parents from around the globe. It will include |
| Facebook are the students' domain, and teachers | | | | comments and span new ideas and conversations. |
| and parents may not always be welcome. To | | | | It will be supported by images and videos which |
| many of today's students, a teacher socializing on | | | | will also spawn new ideas and conversations. |
| Facebook is the equivalent of having that teacher | | | | In addition, this same lesson, when taught the |
| show up at a weekend party, or at a regular | | | | following year, already has the foundation of the |
| student hangout. | | | | previous year's information. The next year builds |
| Today's educators need an intuitive, safe, online | | | | upon the previous two years, and so on. In the |
| environment that connects students, teachers, | | | | end, we have an ever-growing historical account |
| parents, and administrators in a responsible way. | | | | of the ideas brought about by the lesson - a |
| One that is geared toward education and one | | | | clearly superior situation to the way it had been |
| that, while driven by teachers, is open to | | | | taught ten years earlier. |
| students, parents, and administrators. | | | | Considering the speed at which technology is |
| Simply put, they need a social network for the | | | | evolving, teachers should be encouraged to find |
| classroom. | | | | and use a social network. One that can be used |
| In a true Web 2.0 environment, students, parents, | | | | responsibly and that is geared toward the |
| and administrators can participate in the teaching | | | | proliferation of ideas that start in the classroom. |