Abstract

Social network sites form an integral part of our culture in the 21st century, attracting hundreds of million of users every day. Yet public opinion about them is still highly polarised with the press often focussing on issues of privacy and security. However, research has shown there are benefits of using social network sites; they can contribute to social standing and psychological well being (Ellison 2007). They therefore deserve a more detailed analysis.

The aim of this essay is to not to examine how social network sites can be applied to education, but rather to ask "What can social network sites teach us about learning and about education?" In this essay I will investigate four different aspects of social network sites with the aim of exploring what it is they can teach us about the way that we think, communicate and interact. I will also analyse the impact they have had on our society both socially and culturally. I will then examine what the implications are for learning and literacy. Through this discussion, I will draw parallels with the theories of situated cognition, new literacy studies, and connectivism.