Using Nings with Middle School Students

[Jennifer Carbonneau]

What are the implications for using a ning with middle school students? What are the dangers? I know the benefits are priceless. I am assuming that these are safe places when I select the privacy fearture. Is my assumption correct? What should I include in a presentation to parents? How do I sell them on this rhealm of technology? Is a ning the best method? I am hoping that my page would facilitate discussions or student and class readings as well as a place to do peer reviews of writing. I realize that I will have to teach the ethics of using technology and respecting other's coprighted resources. What am I missing? What are the loop holes that my administrator may see when I present it to him? What reservations do school techs have? Anything you can offer that will help me prepare for this venture would be helpful.

[Nancy Bosch]

I misspoke, if ning serves it as private you still have to be 13. I like the whole idea of a ning but don't even know if I even need it. I like the idea of each person having their own page but we have a blog, email, websites, and Moodle and that seems to serve our purpose right now. Thanks N

[Steve Hargadon]

Yes, you're right. You can have your network either as "public" or "private," so even though it is always on Ning's servers, you can define who has access to it.

I'd be interested in others' feedback on the value of Ning vs. aggregating other services.

[Nancy Bosch]

Steve Continued

I like the all-in-one ning platform, but don't like the lack of control for little guys (K-6) The one component I'm missing is safe "webpage" for the kids where they can "mess around". I used Oracle's http://think.com for 5 years as our email provider and they had a "closed" personal page for the kids. Some of the kids loved having a web presence to "chat with other Think.com users", "leave stickie notes", post writing and pictures. Oracle no longer has email so I gave them up, I could continue to use their "webpages" but we just don't need any more accounts!!

Students each have a blog account but we keep that for more formal writing only (with occassional photo posted). I've considered pageflake and igoogle but I just don't want to mess with the openness of those platforms.

I use Moodle for book discussions and Philosopher's Club. Ning doesn't work for that because I need an authentic "threaded discussion"---an aside: In the last few years I've learned that just because a tool is available doesn't mean you have to use it. There are many things done better without Web 2.0 tool, IMHO. Later, N

[Steve Hargadon]

I really agree with the last statements, but explain the difference (if you would) of a Ning discussions and an "authentic threaded discussion."

[Nancy Bosch]

In Moodle's threaded discussion forum you can have an infinite number of replies to each posting. In ning the threaded discussion stop after a certain # (which I guess is set my you?) I guess that is the only difference I can think of right off the bat. N

[Steve Hargadon]

You're right, there is a limit. I think it's 9 or 10 levels of nesting. That level is set by Ning, though, and if I have control over it I'm not aware. Thanks for the reply!

[Nancy Bosch]

Here is another plus to Moodle or Blackboard for threaded discussions. Each response stays nestled below the question indicating who wrote the response. That way it's easy to see who has responded and who hasn't. With ning if you post the discussion question you would be constantly scrolling down trying to find the most current responses for a classroom of 25 kids. Have you seen my Moodle discussion forums? If you want to log in use baguest as username and password. Here is a discussion we are getting ready to start on The Invention of Hugo Cabret. the student responses will show up under each question as we go along.

[Jennifer Carbonneau]

I am really interested in this mode for threaded discussions. Do you have to be or does your school have to be a paying member of Moodle or Blackboard?

[Nancy Bosch]

Moodle is free but of course has to be on a server. I don't know the backstory on that because my district provides it and I probably wouldn't have been able to set it up. When I had Blackboard is was online and $300.00 for an individual subscription. I don't know what the delivery model is now. subscription? software?

[Jennifer Carbonneau]

Thank you.

[Steve Hargadon]

You can get Moodle accounts for as low as $5/month from some hosting companies. HostGator comes to mind.

You can also use a excess computer to install Moodle on your own network, but that's a level of complication most folks are really wanting to add to their lives!

[Jennifer Carbonneau]

It is complicated, but that you for the information.