How Social Networking Can Save Education

Teasastips — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:04:12 +0000

: Image by Christopher S. Penn via Flickr

Social Networking sites like Twitter and Facebook have become a part of the mainstream media these days. Numerous reports appear daily on how the integration and use of social networking is as much a part of our lives as drinking water is. Whether it is a story about Conan O’Brien picking a Michigan woman to follow on Twitter, or how the state of Georgia is restricting sex offenders from using Facebook, social networking is here to stay.

But, what really fascinates me more and more, is how people are actually using social networks. It’s like social networks are replacing other forms of communication. Maybe because its a quicker, more broad way of reaching a huge group of people. Take a look at one of my peers and what he accomplished in just a few short hours using social networking. Dear Blog Engage Members, Can We Make History?

I’ve been thinking about social networking as an educational vehicle.

For me, I’m really interested in advancing the use of social networking in United States public schools, more specifically inner city students. Because I am a product of the Detroit Public School system, my heart is anchored and focused on those students first.

Maybe its because the Detroit Public School system has a 25% graduation rate and is the nation’s worst performing urban school system (The blogprof.blogspot.com). I have a crazy idea that involves social networking and education. Hey, right now a school system such as Detroit’s is tanking fast, and needs something crazy and out of the box to save it.

Since social networking is about people and getting as many of them together to unite for one cause, I know that Detroit students could benefit from the use of social networking to further their education.

For instance, if Detroit Public School students had access to the internet, had computers to use at home, then they could integrate Facebook Fan Pages as a great social studies, economic/business and english writing exercises. The educationally archaic method of teaching students in inner cities don’t work, just take a look at the graduation rates.

Our kids today are technologically advanced, thus they are bored with coming to class and opening a book. Lets send our kids to school and have them turn on a computer. This way we teach them how to do by giving hands on examples. Researching a topic in American History or even Economics is way more fun when we teach students how to find the information, what sites are credible to use for research, then teach them how to utilize Word and Excel to enhance their reports.

ALL kids like mental challenges. Boredom is a great dream killer. No wonder many inner city kids decide to join gangs, sell dope, or just kill one another. Its way more exciting than going to school and opening a dusty old school book that doesn’t even show any of the last 3 U.S. Presidents.

We need to change our thinking if we are going to reach our kids today. Social Networking is one way to do it. Parents buy their kids cellphones that can access Twitter, Facebook and MySpace all the time. Let’s make good use of these skills and integrate these sites into the educational system.

Its worth a try, anything is because right now our kids are losing, the dropout rate is ridiculous, all while we complain about higher taxes, health care reform, whether a black U.S. President is failing the black race.

None of this will matter if our children, our future turn out to be as dumb as a box of rocks. Can anyone spell s-l-a-v-e-r-y? That’s what happens when a society has no knowledge or makes use of it, that society becomes enslaved by a more superior culture or race.

What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear them….leave a comment below or continue the conversation on Twitter or Facebook.

Dan Zarella: When to publish articles to Facebook (blogs.journalism.co.uk)
Detroit School Board President Fights Over Control with Outside Manager via Email: FAIL (minx.cc)
The Educationalization of Social Media (pamil-visions.net)
High School Without the Teachers (detroit.blogs.time.com)
Social networking belongs in school (news.cnet.com)
Bomb detonated in Detroit school; no injuries (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
Social Networking For Texas School Districts Presentation Slides (nextcommunications.blogspot.com)

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How Social Networking Can Save Education

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