Dan's+McLuhan's+Tetrad

I didn't choose any specefic format of social networking, rather I chose social networking in general. I know that social networking is hardly an emerging technology, but you would think so by the number of teachers who are incorporating it withing my school district. Very few teachers are using a teaching tool that has great potential and is extremely popular with students.

Social networking enhances both student performance and communication with, and the involvement of, parents. Often students will perform at a higher level simply because they know that their work can, and will be viewed by the public. It also gives parent the opportunity to see what it is their children are working on as well as the final product. While social networking does not really make the traditional student presentation obsolete it does drastically alter the presentation possiblities of how that work will be presented. No longer is the presentation limited to the classroom where parents may or may not be able to attend. This give the opportuntiy to rekindle parent involvement. In the past, when many households had only one parent working, it was easier for parents to see some of the end-results of their childrens' work in the form of presentations. Social networking provides more opportunities to parents to do this. Social networking has the potential to change the entire assignment process. Where assignments now are often worked on, and then disapear to the teacher's desk, only to magically re-appear with a grade, now the process can be more open from first drafts through editing and right on through to final drafts and grading.