Social networking sites: mindless tools or great resources?
Richard Nieves, '11 | Staff Reporter
Issue date: 10/2/09 Section: Lifestyle
People use different ways to communicate with others around the world. Some people send letters while others use telephones. The Internet, as well, is a growing player in the world of social networking.
There are a number of different sites people can use to stay connected with one another, such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and FriendFeed. These sites have become more than just a way to talk with a friend about how their day was and keep up with current gossip.
They can also be used for education. Education does not just have to be with teachers talking non-stop or text books with 12 point font. Social networking sites have become more purposeful by creating applications, which can help students of all ages organize, learn and advance.
Applications have been used for many things: quizzing others, wasting time before a class, and occasionally fun and interactive education. An example is Notely, an application on Facebook that allows students to schedule events, create lists for organizing tests, exams and even homework. Another application, Courses on Facebook, allows users to post schedules for classes. It also allows students to create message boards where they can discuss issues and topics brought up in class.
Amanda Trujillo, an archeology major of the 2013 class of Potsdam State College, says she believes that social networking sites are just a great way for her and friends to communicate with each other over the Internet.
Asia Hancock, an alumnus of Bread and Roses Integrated Arts High School and an avid user of social networking sites, says they are used to "communicate, meet new people" and relieve people like herself from boredom.
Dr. Kurt Reymers, a sociology professor of Morrisville State College, says that "social networking is about just kind of sharing those social conventions" and "sharing" with one another. He agrees that social networking sites can be used to further students' education. He created a site where students can view all the assignments he gives and even talk to each other about them. It is a way for them to connect with each other on a personal and educational level.
Reymers uses social networking, along with other technology, to grow and enhance learning in the classroom. Reymers has even used the web-based massively multiplayer online game, Second Life in order to connect with his students on an even deeper level. Students can go to a virtual classroom where a professor can interact online in a new form, rather than through an email or in a classroom.
People of all ages use social networking sites to stay connected with the world. It is also becoming a way to educate students, keep them organized and help them succeed. Social networking is a powerful tool that teachers and professors use in the classroom in order to reach their students in a way they can understand and grasp much easier than anything they've used before. Social networking is not just a communicator; it is also an educator.
There are a number of different sites people can use to stay connected with one another, such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and FriendFeed. These sites have become more than just a way to talk with a friend about how their day was and keep up with current gossip.
They can also be used for education. Education does not just have to be with teachers talking non-stop or text books with 12 point font. Social networking sites have become more purposeful by creating applications, which can help students of all ages organize, learn and advance.
Applications have been used for many things: quizzing others, wasting time before a class, and occasionally fun and interactive education. An example is Notely, an application on Facebook that allows students to schedule events, create lists for organizing tests, exams and even homework. Another application, Courses on Facebook, allows users to post schedules for classes. It also allows students to create message boards where they can discuss issues and topics brought up in class.
Amanda Trujillo, an archeology major of the 2013 class of Potsdam State College, says she believes that social networking sites are just a great way for her and friends to communicate with each other over the Internet.
Asia Hancock, an alumnus of Bread and Roses Integrated Arts High School and an avid user of social networking sites, says they are used to "communicate, meet new people" and relieve people like herself from boredom.
Dr. Kurt Reymers, a sociology professor of Morrisville State College, says that "social networking is about just kind of sharing those social conventions" and "sharing" with one another. He agrees that social networking sites can be used to further students' education. He created a site where students can view all the assignments he gives and even talk to each other about them. It is a way for them to connect with each other on a personal and educational level.
Reymers uses social networking, along with other technology, to grow and enhance learning in the classroom. Reymers has even used the web-based massively multiplayer online game, Second Life in order to connect with his students on an even deeper level. Students can go to a virtual classroom where a professor can interact online in a new form, rather than through an email or in a classroom.
People of all ages use social networking sites to stay connected with the world. It is also becoming a way to educate students, keep them organized and help them succeed. Social networking is a powerful tool that teachers and professors use in the classroom in order to reach their students in a way they can understand and grasp much easier than anything they've used before. Social networking is not just a communicator; it is also an educator.