Journal #2

Social Networking for the K-12 Set by Jim Klein

Jim Klein presented a lot of different great ideas and insight from his experiences with social networking. He stresses creating secure communities in which students and teachers can access and share information from anywhere. He argues that this social platform is very successful in enriching education, and yet it is affordable.

How do you provide equal technological learning opportunities for students who don’t have access to a computer or the Internet at home?

I believe that integrating technology into the classroom is vital to learning this day and age, but it needs to be done in a manner that does not give one students an advantage over another. Doing little extra things for students who come from a lower socioeconomic background can help level the playing field. They need to have more exposure to computers in order to catch up to the other students whom have more experience with technology. Coming in early, staying late, and making yourself available during lunch/study hall periods are all great way to enable less fortune students to still get the same learning opportunities.


How could a teacher justify to a school board spending money to implement a district wide program for social networking?

For starters you could show them this article by Jim Klein, but I don’t believe this would be nearly enough. You would need to find some type of research showing the benefits of social networking in a public school. You would also need to get help from other teachers and students’ parents to persuade a board to grant money