Apr
27
Written by:
James Burke
Friday, April 27, 2007
A list of current notable social networking websites can be found at:
In the educational area, and particularly schools, many social networking sites are being banned for being disruptive and potentially creating a security threat.
In an earlier blog on School 2.0 (http://www.deburca.co.uk/blog/tabid/57/EntryID/68/Default.aspx) I presented a brainstorming tool that could be used to help schools, LEAs and communities develop a common vision for the future and to explore how that vision can be supported by technology.
Education and learning is changing and student centred, collaborative learning is becoming the expected norm and traditional delivery and support of eLearning via platforms such as VLEs are proving not fit for purpose. This coupled with the need for online portfolios and transcripts is leading to a new breed of learning management tools and in many cases pilots are being carried out with current Web2.0 social networking applications.
Dedicated eLearning 2.0 applications are also being developed and one Open Source application of particular note is elgg (www.elgg.net) which is a personal learning environment acting as a focal point for a mashup of content and services from other websites that may even include an educational institutions VLE.
The creators of elgg have now formed Curverider (http://www.curverider.co.uk) that primarily offers an “enterprise” version of elgg tailored towards the needs of business in the form of a “white label” solution. Microsoft Sharepoint must be one of the key competitor products (in terms of a single enterprise), although using quite a different language and business development approach, for them and it will be interesting to see the level takeup of social networking in the business sector. Other established and more “personal” business tools that they will be up against include eCademy and Linked In.
I am a strong believer that business has a lot to learn from technology adoption in the academic sector and I hope that elgg with their white label approach will make some inroads into educating the business sector with the potential that Web 2.0 tools have to offer.