Ning+Social+Network

= Communication Tool: = Group Members: Conner Cody, Kiara Abdullah


 * Screenshot or logo**



This is Ning.com - An online service to create, customize, and share a social network.

Brief introduction of the tool
Ning is the social platform for the world's interests and passions online. Millions of people every day are coming together across Ning to explore and express their interests, discover new passions, and meet new people around shared pursuits. Ning is all about creating a personalized social network within an area of social networks.


 * ===//Advantages of the tool//===


 * 1) This tool is **effective** because it allows you to connect and communication with several people from a singlized location/point within the Ning community. Instead of signing up with multiple sites about bird lovers you can simply create a social network of bird lovers where you can both add other users and they can add you, increasing your network.
 * 2) This tool is **efficient** because it cuts down on time. Like with the effective bullet above, the main point to such a tool is to use the least amount of resources while producing the most profitable outcome.
 * 3) Finally, I believe this tool **enhances** the learning experience by allowing you to view other users' profiles and networks' so that you aren't just learning from yourself and your experiences with say birds but looking at others' experiences as well. Ning makes it super convenient to feel a part of the community with it's use of templates, friends, video, audio, and more!


 * ===//Disadvantages (limitations) of the tool//===


 * 1) Restrictiveness - Because members of the Ning are generally part of the same organization, it is restrictive in the sense that users can only connect and share with individuals in that organization. For example, a school can establish a Ning, and teachers of all grade levels can connect, but it would be helpful for members of that school to share ideas with teachers in the same grade level, but at a different school. This can't be done with a Ning.
 * 2) Responsiveness - Just like email, Ning allows a user to reach out with questions to other users, but there is no way of ensuring that question will be answered. The responsiveness on a Ning is at the mercy of the users.
 * 3) Time consuming - As with other social networking sites, Ning may consume much of an individual's time. Users may spend hours adding photos or responding to others.

Application of the tool in your subject area

 * Cody:** Well I'm a Social Studies major so I could see this tool being useful in creating a social network for my classroom where students could meet to discuss the material we covered in class, as well as their own ideas regarding the material. It would also allow me to communicate and give more attention to students outside of class who need extra help. I could also post notes, lecture resources, and assignments much like IU professors do with Oncourse.


 * Kiara:** I'm planning on becoming an elementary education major and while I do not necessarily see much use within the KG-3rd grade realm for a Ning I do see the use in setting up a Ning for perhaps the coordinating school. So, I would for example set up a ning for all 3rd grade teachers, that way we could communicate on our own time, at our earliest convenience, without being burdened time constraints.A ning can be used in any work environment where individuals need to work individually, but closely together as well. We could even set up a class Ning where parents and students can ask me, as a teacher, and other students/parents for help on hw or for references like field trip dates.

Find a tutorial video on YouTube
media type="youtube" key="oGb83rrs7WQ" height="344" width="425"

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//List of key features showed in the ScreenToaster ://

 * This video does a great job of step-by-step application from how to sign-up, design, and even customize your Ning network!
 * Additionally the user details how to add friends, and additional networks to your personal Ning network, expanding your platform.
 * The use also does a great job of explaining not only what a Ning is but, what it's advantages and dis-advantages are as a Ning user.
 * Ease of searching out Nings in your particular area of interest like politics, arts, sciences, scrapbooking, etc.

Useful Resources
Here's a list of tools + resources to check out for Ning and similar sites!


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