Online Social Networks - Friend or Foe?

The technology behind social websites such as MySpace, Facebook and Bebo is explored in this video on ICT learning and media literacy, looking also at the issues these websites raise for teachers.

The current generation is is the first with the technical means to offer a running commentary on every aspect of their lives. This fact has sparked a debate on whether this technology - an ever increasing part of children's lives - is a force for good or an opportunity for cyberbullying to proliferate.

If negative aspects can be dealt with, these technological advances could potentially alter the dynamics of future schooling, transforming the traditional lecture model with increasing group interaction and dialogue, leading to learning that's "caught rather than taught".

Experts and users explain how social networking is affecting the way this generation relates to each other in and out of cyberspace, and how the technology can be harnessed to benefit learning with a more expressive pupil voice.