Use of Social Networking and Online Communities in Education

The use of online communities and social networking by educators, administrators, and learners is very popular. However, the Education & Training (E&T) market has a relatively low proportion of revenues derived from digital offerings compared to other segments of the information industry, indicating that there can be a reticence to pay for these resources. Still, the usage levels of the successful online community sites in education indicate that digital can play a valuable role in supporting the work of educators. This report looks at how educators use social networks and online communities, investigates the drivers behind this usage, and presents case studies of some popular education communities along with a discussion of the business models accompanying these services. The report contains:

- An overview of social networking and online communities in Education;
- Data and analysis on social networking use by educators and students;
- Opportunities and threats in this market;
- Case studies of five online educational communities formed by both existing publishers and new market entrants;
- Essential actions for publishers in the Education market.