Using tools such as the social-network-creation site Ning, teachers can easily develop their own networks, Mosea says. "It is better to create your own," he argues. "If a teacher creates his or her own network, students will post as if their teacher is watching them, and they'll tend to be more safe.
"You can build social networks around the curriculum," Mosea adds, "so you can use them as a teaching resource or another tool." An online social network is another tool -- but it's a tool with an advantage: It wasn't just imposed by teachers; the students have chosen it.
Jennifer Dorman on 03 May 10MyVRSpot is the most innovative way to connect true Web 2.0 with curriculum content, combining elements similar to the online publishing of YouTube and the personal space of Facebook. MyVRSpot provides students with a hosted web space (webspot) to upload their videos, audio files, and pictures, all while exploring in the District's "safe backyard." All media is controlled and monitored before going online for others to view. This allows for students to still become those "push button" publishers without the district having to worry about inappropriate content within a multimedia sharing environment. With MyVRSpot, students become researchers, developers, and producers of their own webspot, giving them the sense of ownership.
