A University of Minnesota study says that social networking sites can become useful educational tools. So perhaps dragging youngsters away from MySpace might actually be a disservice? Interesting.

Lest you think some Facebook-deprived teenager is making this up, the Star Tribune has the writeup that includes the finding that “low-income students are in many ways just as technologically savvy as their counterparts.”

“What we found was that students using social networking sites are actually practicing the kinds of 21st century skills we want them to develop to be successful today,” said Christine Greenhow, a learning technologies researcher from the school’s College of Education and Human Development.

Teenagers aged from 16 to  18 were surveyed in a dozen or so urban high schools in the Midwest.

Data from the study came from teenagers ages 16 to 18 in about a dozen urban high schools in the Midwest.

The following statistics were noted: 94 percent use the Internet, 82 percent at home and 77 percent have a profile on a social networking site.

“Students are developing a positive attitude towards using technology systems, editing and customizing content and thinking about online design and layout,” Greenhow continued. “They’re also sharing creative original work like poetry and film and practicing safe and responsible use of information and technology.”

Social networking sites are also cited as part of the reason that even low-income students are tech-savvy. Social networking sites helping bridge the digital divide? Now that’s the kind of news MySpace and Facebook would love to hear and tout.

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Entry was posted on Friday, June 20th, 2008 at 3:20 pm under Uncategorized.

Read more entries by Erna Mahyuni.
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