24. Learning in the Digital Age with SNSs: Creating a Profile

In the proposed chapter, we will start off by introducing social media and some of the features of social networking sites. We will go on to highlight why these technologies are so pervasive, and how/why people are using them. We will expand our discussion to include studies that have examined Facebook as a social networking and learning tool. Specifically, we will go on to present studies that relate to the integration of technology and social media as a means for encouraging learning across the life span, and will use social learning as a theoretical base. We will also present how social media such as Facebook can enrich learning, and offer some suggestions and insights into the policies that may help to balance security, privacy, and risk issues associated with using social media in education. Next, we will present information about risks associated with using social media, and will continue by highlighting how users can protect their information online. We will then present some potential privacy and policy considerations within the educational context that examine social learning contexts, and the implications that these contexts have for the learner and educator. Lastly, we will conclude by offering some suggestions about how to best integrate this technology within the classroom.