Teachers and lecturers are getting the lowdown on how to use social networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo in an educational way.Most schools and colleges in the UK block access to the websites but they are missing out on their potential for education, a government-funded guide says.The report for Childnet International and funded by Becta, the government body for technology in learning, says while teachers and lecturers may be using social networking services they may not recognise the educational potential for their students.Schools could help students develop "e-portfolios" where learners can record their achievements and collect examples of their work, the guide suggests. Or teachers could use social networking services to set up groups that "semi-formalise" students' online communications and "document discussions and milestones as they go".Young people are more likely to have learned their social networking skills from their friends or classmates than from any formal instruction or support from adults.
paul reid on 28 Oct 08In a time of economic crisis, web developers and freelancers everywhere have started chewing their fingernails. However, no matter how bad the economy worsens, there will always be work in certain booming fields of web development. As the moderator of the Freelance Switch job board, there are certain types of jobs that are constantly in demand. Here are the 10 skills that are or will be in highest demand for developers. If you are proficient in these skills, you'll be in a great position to find work and weather any economic downturn.
