Bebo – Social Networking. The sky is not falling.
learning, thinking, web 2.0 September 10th, 2007
My daughter and I just had a look through her Bebo site (social networking). We checked that there was no identifying information on there (there was!) and who was hanging around.
This is not a fear post about the dangers of 50 year old men pretending to be 12 year old girls. She told me how people seem so much more polite online than at school. This was surprising. People who usually don’t have much to say face to face are happy to engage in conversation through Bebo or MSN.
I’d love a crystal ball to see how social networking will be leveraged into learning in the future. It is not a matter of if, but how. Shouldn’t we be thinking in terms of possibilities and potentials, instead of only risks and dangers?
September 11th, 2007 at 8:45 am
What is bebo?
September 11th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
Hi Margaret,
The Words in the post in orange are a link – click on it to find out what bebo is. It is a social networking site…
September 12th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
We have always known that the girls fortes include communication and collaboration. I think that if we can give them the digital tools and link their learning to these god given talents, we will see learning occur in an effortless and enjoyable way.
September 12th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
You know, Adrian, I agree, totally. It seems to simple, retrospectively to say: “Girls communicate – why don’t we let them learn that way?” and yet, when you look around our classrooms, how would you describe the nature of communication? It is one way and teacher centred. Knowledge is built and exists in networks, which is why that idea of connected learning makes so much sense to me.
September 13th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Hi guys. Adrian – God is spelt with a captital ‘G”. Greg, “to” in “to simple” is actually “too simple” – in this case you are using “too” as an adverb implying a higher degree or amount and not part of an infinitive as in “to love”.
You are right – blogging can be quite educational.