Ok, this was an easy one. I am a Facebook Queen. I started out with a MySpace page in order to keep in touch with my goddaughter who moved to Michigan. I then branched out and used MySpace to stay in touch with other friends who moved out-of-state. Then I discovered Facebook, and I have to say it's not an exaggeration to say that it was life-changing. It is so much easier too stay in touch with old friends, new friends, co-workers past and present, and family members. We've had get-togethers with old friends from high school that we probably never would have seen or heard from if not for Facebook.
It is important for educators to know how social networking works because most students are using those sites. The research stated that about half of students who were using the social networking sites were using them to talk specifically about schoolwork. Since students are already using these sites, we as educators need to model how to use them appropriately.
As far as which site had the most useful features, I would have to say Facebook. I like how I have so many privacy settings and can make lists of friends and control what each list sees. I also like how easy it is to use Facebook on my phone. Facebook has some great games, as well as a live chat that is easy to use.
As for an educational application, I really don't want to attempt this with elementary school students. First of all, I think there is a minimum age requirement for Facebook. There are just too many variables out there we can't control. I have heard of teachers setting up a social networking account just for his/her class that was used for homework help and other school communication. It would not be my first choice as a tool to use in educating elementary students.
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