..Then you haven’t been to the exhibit hall. I took time to walk down about three quarters of a single row yesterday in the NECC Exhibit hall, and saw no fewer than five new social network or community products — “This social network is going to revolutionize physical education!” I actually found myself standing and listening to the eloquently delivered pitch for the latest in routers, just for the rest.
Now don’t get me wrong. Social networks are great. I think we need them as much as our kids do, and for a lot of the same reasons. But I still don’t think we get it. I don’t think we need new rooms to close ourselves into. We’re trying to get ourselves and the others teachers we work with out of our rooms — out so that we can see at a distance. I can’t help but believe that if students saw this, they’d be laughing so hard, well you get the picture. [Image from Stephen Clark ((Clark, Stephen. “Kids Laughing At Bread Line Sculpture.” Sgclark’s Photostream. 22 Dec 2007. 2 Jul 2008 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/sgclark/2129494643/>. ))]
I mentioned something at the EduBloggerCon that I really want to put more thought into and maybe even writing some a little more substancial than a blog. I can’t help but believe that the real power of the social network is not the container. The real power is in the individual, through his or her profile.
It seems like we are trying to push students into a closed off, high walled social experience in school. I know from talking to my students that they aren’t interested in being boxed in. They really want to see beyond the walls (social transparency?). Really, how different is a closed off social network than a classroom?