Learning * Education * Technology

As with most things ‘World Wide Web-ish’, social networking is the elephant, being examined by three blindfolded people who have never seen an elephant. Social networking is both a curse and a blessing, sometimes described as both by the same person.

Nicole Verardi focuses on college students and social networking in an online article called MySpace in College Admission . This is an article focuses on the effect of imprudent posting on sites by high school students, college students, job seekers, and new graduate-employees. It gives space, as well, to some of the ways that social networking sites can compliment college admission and career seeking.

A Briefing for Educators: Online Social Networking and Youth Risk by Nancy Willard, another online article suggested by an instructor, is a no nonsense, foundational look at social networking. It folks on the dangers and pitfall and the reasons those exist. Primarily, Willard feels that teen decision-making is an oxymoron, a theory that is fast becoming fact among neurologists, as well as psychologists, and is, in part responsible for the ‘youth risk’ in the title. The other major phenomenon that raises ‘risk’ is the lack of parental attention.

An English author, Jerome Monahan, sees the glass of social networking as being half full, not half empty. In his article on line, Missed Opportunity , he sees all the hesitancy and nay-saying as blocking the potential benefits of social networking.

I am sure that teachers who teach younger students would feel my attitude to be cavalier. Nevertheless, there are many sites with proper security to allow students to ride their social networking trikes and training wheeled bikes. I believe the teens that I share classrooms with should have their Information Superhighway drivers’ licenses before they venture out on their own.

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