Social networking

Statement

Mount Tamar School is aware that Social Networking is becoming an important part of todays Internet life with the ability to share text messages, audio & video conversations, photographs and files between both individuals, specified groups and the wider community.

think.com Social Networking

think.com is run as a Social Networking Site for pupils across the world. The site is overseen by the teachers whose pupils use the site. Within think.com there are facilities to:

• message other users
• create and join communities
• create a blog

Pupils in Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 are encouraged to use think.com as part of the learning experience, though by the end of Key Stage 3 pupils will be more active on the [Mount Tamar School] Social Networking Platform.

Mount Tamar School Social Networking Developments

Most Social Networking platforms that are currently available to individuals are not secure and controllable as required by the education standards so Mount Tamar School is setting up its own Social Network Service (SNS) which will consist of:

• Social Networking service (SNS) Platform
  • elgg - http://elgg.org
    • Personal blog
    • Message facilities
    • Sharing of files
    • Communities

Other Social Networking Services:

• Messaging service - now available
  • IM Messaging - via Jabber
    • Open up Firefox
    • Click on the following link http://sameplace.cc/
    • Download the software and install it
    • See Mr Berry for your account details
• Audio conversations (VoIP)
  • Firefox plugin - MozIAX
  • IP phones
  • USB phones
    • currently being worked on
• Video conversations
  • Skype
    • update - video now working

In addition all of the above will be confined to individuals and specifiable groups.

• Mount Tamar School now as an internal telephone service in place using Asterisk. This was recently upgraded.
• The client side is MozIAX, a plugin for Firefox.
• The service will work both in and outside of school via the school servers.