Social networking is here to stay. Whether it is Facebook or Twitter, social networking has become a huge part of student’s lives. The only place where these applications are not present, are in the classroom…until now.

Many people think the drive for students to stay connected with people through social networking can be harnessed for the purpose of learning. For example, Rachelle Ring, a sixth-grade teacher in West Branch, Ohio took advantage of an intranet setup at her school to create blogs for all her students.

She has noticed quite a jump in student engagement with writing since she has added blogging to her classroom. She plans to add online literature circles with another teacher in the building and have students collaborate and communicate about the literature they are reading through blogging rather than traditional classroom writing.

School Announcement wants to know what you think of utilizing social networking in the classroom. Do you think it takes away from more traditional ways of communicating and learning? Or do you feel taking different approaches that students are already engaged with makes them more receptive? Let us know if anyone at your school is using it!

Have a great weekend!