Social Networks in Schools

I have seen teens sitting next to each other and text or tweet - with each other - rather than actually talking! Or playing the same game on two GameBoy units for hours - three feet apart -without speaking one word to each other - except the odd giggle.

No wonder innovative teachers are turning to micro-blogging formats such as Twitter to communicate with students. Lucas Ames from Flint High School, VA required students to ponder history topics such as separation of church and state in 140 or few characters on Twitter. Debates became pretty lively due to the instantaneous nature of message delivery. It is the kind of interaction that every teacher dreams about.

In this example Twitter use started with teachers reaching out to locate instructional resources amongst themselves. Now they are using it to distribute assignments and to foster collaboration among students. (Kathleen Manzo - Education Week 10/16/2009).

Watch dogs are raising red flags claiming it (Twitter) is not a research-based tool. No one has an idea what the impact such applications will have in the long term. Some question the educational effectiveness of such tools or the implications of those quick, short-form communications.

It is not clear who sets the rules in usage, language, number of responses and so forth. Obviously a class would be a closed system where only the teacher and students are followers. Herein lies a risk of the teacher/student relationship being blurred and the lines of professionalism becoming gray.

It is estimated that on 12 million users between the ages of 3 and 17 use Twitter. This means that it has not been adopted by younger students yet, but young adults are the fastest growing sector of new users.

If e-mails are accepted as a form of communication between student, teacher and parent, then I do not see a problem using social networking such as Twitter. It should not replace text books, classroom 'face time', or assignments. But it can be handy to incorporate a segment of the student population who will be lost in a traditional school setting. It also beats pages upon pages of grading!

Michael Cordier