5 Social Networking Sites That Foster Communication Between Teachers and Students
Integrating the Internet with classroom instruction is a tricky business, as online communication certainly has its drawbacks. Luckily, the advent of Web 2.0 has fostered a more seamless line of communication through the means of interactive online tools. Below are five Web 2.0 sites that help to open the lines of communication between teachers and students, regardless of distance.
- Twitter – This application allow mutual contacts to communicate through short messages, known as “tweets.” With just a few words, connect with others by answering the simple question, “What are you doing?”
- Ning – Using Ning, you can create your own social network for anything. This can be a safe way to offer social networking to students without compromising privacy, as the network will be exclusive to those you invite.
- Furl – This is a social bookmarking site that is more teacher-student friendly than others. Here, you can simply share favorite Web pages with your students and vice versa. This can be a great way to tip each other off about great resources that are pertinent to classroom study.
- LinkedIn – Imagine a social networking community without the annoyances of teenagers and grouchy fanboys. Such is LinkedIn, a professional alternative to MySpace or even Facebook. With LinkedIn, you can connect with colleagues and students, opening important networking contacts to all.
- Flickr – This photo-sharing site is a bustling community of artists and students. Here, students can search for helpful material, as well as share photographs and artwork with others in the class.
Online social networking is becoming increasingly important amongst educators, especially for interactive education such as for obtaining your online nursing degree or becoming an x ray technician. With the sites above, you will stay in synch with the newest generation of Web users, as well as offer clearer communiqué for your students.