Social Networking

I think that social networking has benefits depending on what the user is seeking.  If they user is purely seeking connections and people to assist them in different situations then that's great.  Social networking sites could be used for educational purposes if it is set up in such a manner.  One way that came to me right away was having students as the experts for math problems.  In my classroom once I felt comfortable that students had mastered concepts I would have them buddy up with other students that were struggling.  On these sites students could ask for help with math concepts and the expert student would respond with steps on how to complete certain problems.  As teachers we definitely have the responsibility of guiding students in the proper use of social networking.  Just because our students have Grown Up Digital doesn't mean we should assume that they understand how to functional in an online environment.  Just like we teach students how to read, watch videos, and interact socially with each other we need to teach online skills for them to be successful in an online environment.