Social Networking - A Definition

Social Networking is when communities of people share a common web site via the Internet. Many times these people share a common interest, such as cooking. Each person can log onto the same site and interact with each other, depending on the capability of the site. Some sites may be a simple as allowing members to post text, such as Twitter. Other sites have the capability for others to interact real-time, such as chat sites.

Social Networking does have potential as a learning tool. The common sites allow for interaction outside of the traditional classroom. This is a way to either provide more learning time, or provide a way to interact in the event the classroom is unavailable, such as a snow day. The other advantage of a virtual learning tool is to allow access for persons who may not otherwise be able to attend the physical classroom. For example, if a student is injured and has a mobility problem, they can keep up with studies via the virtual classroom. Another use of a social networking site is to connect classrooms from all over the world. It expands the knowledge base of the physical classroom. Even with these potential uses, I do feel very strongly that a virtual classroom will never replace a physical classroom.