Attitudes to social networking sites and their potential as learning platforms in a school environment

Social networking sites have shown a steep patronage among school going children. Observed discussions among school children indicate that often traditional classroom learning is supplemented by use of online technologies and communities including social networking sites. Increasing indulgence has been perceived both as benefit and a threat to the young minds. It is observed that there is a general perception among parents and teachers that such online trends pose a distraction for students in their academic and social life. In order to investigate the validity of such perceptions and to know the attitudes of school children and young adults, data was collected using questionnaire and interviews from 20 school children and over 30 young adults from a college level institution. A comparative study was made between school children and young adults on usage patterns and habits on social networking sites. Questions were aimed at collecting responses to the level of awareness and perceived threats of online social networking and potential of using these sites as a learning platform among the school children. Based on the results, the authors suggest a new interactive platform within the school environment for communication and socialization integrated with educational learning. It ensures safety through design interventions and pedagogical controls.