Social Networking & Web 2.0

Link: http://www.end925.biz/social-networking/

There will always be an ongoing debate on the many direct benefits of making the use of social networking in education. Unfortunately for these online social networking sites, or SNS, their early reputation has long preceded their potentials. Facebook, Friendster, Yuwie, Zenzuu, Myviewin and MySpace are just some examples of such sites which have created a stigma around themselves that technology per say does not deserve.
But with the lines blurring fast, it is interesting to know that a big change is taking place, and it relates to what could be the productive role of online social networking in the lives of students and adults alike.

Issue of safety and influence of those sites

Majority of the contents of online SNS are user generated in-fact you could say 98%. They are open to anyone who wishes to become a member. Because some users often post detailed and specific personal details (including addresses and phone numbers), compromising and unsuitable pictures, statements or other information, SNS are considered as a playground for online predators. So its not always a good idea to post such details if your new to site and don't know anything or any one from the site.

Students are getting in trouble with their school teachers and administrators for posting self incriminating and unacceptable pictures or information, which violate imposed school policies or code of conduct. School administrators, however, do not monitor the activities of their students in online social networking activities, As this is not an easy task but if their students’ online accounts that violate school policies are reported to them or are brought to their attention, then they may investigate the matter further.

Collaboration rather than conflict is best

The big challenge in utilizing the potentials of SNS in the lives of students lies in how to integrate such sites with academic practice. Initially, as expected, academic institutions had refused to accept the influence of any social networking activities in the lives of their students. However, it is without a doubt that despite of the downsides, the internet is a powerful educational tool – a virtual school grounds where students can meet and chat, and bring learning to them without having to leave their homes. So their can be many benefits of those sites in this day and age of cyberspace.

Recently, the same school institutions had to see these Social Networking with a totally fresh eye. This technological socialization among students may just be a potentially effective partner in the education system of today. There should be an alliance, rather than a collision, between the online activities of students and academic goals. The challenge here is how to harness the power and promise of SNS and how to integrate it effectively with the traditional academic methods.

Of course it is not generally possible to directly incorporate SNS directly into the classrooms; such are tools primarily for socializing. But these tools have grown to a level so potentially useful among students that educators should not ignore its value. With optimism, this goal may be realized through the following:

* Paying attention and looking into Social Networking sites - School administrators must not express disapproval of networking activities utterly without really understanding how it works. Exploring these sites will reveal what makes it popular among their students. As their can be a good value of learning from SNS.

* Employing the educational worth of

Social Networking activities - Educators and Teachers may deliberately consider ways of extending classroom activities onto the internet. Online communities work by providing ways through which users interact. Deliberately thinking of projects and assignments to be executed by the students through SNS may make the most out of it.

Effectively diverting the influence of Social Networking Sites to a more positive side will strengthen role of online technology to the students. The role of social networking in education may just be an integral part of the learning process of the students, and not merely a distraction.

This will only get more popular in the future of education.

Mick Rush

For More Info Regarding Social Networking Please See Below
Social-Networking-and-Religion
Social Networking Tips and Resources

Link: http://end925.biz/social-portal/

It seems that now adays the all of the social networking sites are now a staple of the Internet age. In fact, a many people consider logging into their social networking sites just as essential as checking their e-mail on a daily basis. After all, your friends, family and acquaintances could just as easily send you a message through the networking site instead of through your regular e-mail. And with the digital age and social networking services, you can access so many more Internet features such as news updates, blogs, photos, web logging, online streaming video, chats and realtime webcams.

How does social networking affect today’s social interactions?

Social networking sites have redefined social interactions. Some people claim that the digital age has made people more introverted. So many people resort to communication through the use of these networking sites instead of through real life conversations. You might have heard of cases wherein family members living in the same home end up communicating with each other through online messages instead of normal conversations although that is hard to believe, But not surprising.

But social networking sites have also made it possible for people on different sides of the world to communicate with each other, Make new friends and individuals who have lost communication with other such as old classmates or distant relatives could use social networking sites to get back in touch with each other.

In fact, the need to get back in touch just might have been what necessitated the invention of social networking web sites. Classmates.com, one of the earliest social networking sites, had just that goal in mind. Social networking sites allow people to rekindle their friendships that might never have happened other wise. Once you have found an old friend through the networking site, you can choose to exchange phone numbers or use skype or yahoo for a more personal means of communication. If it’s possible, you could also choose to set up a get together with an old friend and family.

It is also possible to find old friends just by using search engines like google. You could type in the name of your friend on a search engine and hope that it finds a match and a personal homepage of the the person your looking for. However, using social networking sites can be much more effective and efficient for this. Your account’s page on these networking sites is just like your own personal home on the web for anybody to find. This also makes it a lot easier for your old friends to find you online.

Are there dangers involved when it comes to using these online networking sites?

However, when it comes to online social networking, people have also been wondering about issues of security and privacy. With your homepage, pictures and other information. about you already online, wouldn’t it be possible for just about any stalker to find you?

Online networking, just like other forms of media, always has dangers associated with it that will not change. In fact, there have been instances wherein online sexual predators have used the information on these sites to get in touch with their victims. That is why you always have to be aware of the risks. involved and how to keep yourself safe although these type of cases seem to be rare. You will find that these sites have plenty of safeguards in-place already. And just how accessible the information about you is to the rest of the world is also up to you and what you put on your homepage of social networking sites.

Remember that learning how to make full use of the digital age and social networking services. while avoiding the dangers is something that you should do all the time, You will also know who you can trust on these sites. The benefits of using these sites to their full potential can be quite enormous after all.

Mick Rush
For More Info Regarding Social Networking Please See Below
Social-Networking-and-Religion
Social Networking Tips and Resources