Facebook/Ning uses in classroom: week 8

After having read chapter 9 in our textbook I began to fully see the uses of such social networking sites as Facebook and Ning.  I would have NEVER even thought of using Facebook in particular in the classroom before since I had always thought of it as a "gossiping" tool used to keep up with what other people that you know are doing.  I would have never thought to use the "group" tool to have collaborative editing and sharing taking place through this social networking site.  I really liked how Ning was discussed throughout the chapter as well as a more honed in site to be used for specific interests.  I still believe that the biggest obstacle in being able to use these sites in the classroom will be administration and parents.  However, I do strongly believe that a strong case can be built in favor of using them if the case can be sold in the correct way to those parties in interest.  In the back of my mind all I can think about is, why not use a site such as Facebook that kids are already fully engulfed in to further educate them on the finer aspects of it?  They have so much to learn and would benefit from learning it all.  Let's give it a try!