Ning

=** What is a Ning? **= Ning is a Web 2.0 tool that can be used to form learning communities, where ideas and content can be exchanged. Some would also call this a social network. With Ning has the potential to be more than social it can also serve as a personal learning network (PLN). media type="youtube" key="q6WVEFE-oZA" height="385" width="480"

Specifically:

 * Ning is an online service that allows users to create their own so­cial networks and join and participate in other networks.
 * There is a wide variety of Ning networks, ranging from news, current events and professional development to entertainment, dating, commercial product networks, alumni, and support groups.
 * Ning lets creators of networks determine the site’s appearance and func­tionality, as well as whether the site is public or private. Most net­works include features such as photos or videos, lists of network members and events, groups within the network, and communi­cation tools such as forums or blogs.
 * No technical skill is required to set up a social network, and there are no limits to the number of networks a user can join. Ning offers no-cost networks, which are supported by advertisements, or users can pay for premium services that eliminate ads and let users choose network URLs that are separate from the Ning domain.

**Socialnomics**
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Getting Started with Ning:
Some ideas taken from Jenny Luca’s wiki but the colors were so ugly, I decided to add this to our detools wiki.


 * The developer selects whether the network is private or public, selects a tagline and desctiption of the network; assigns keywords; chooses from a selection of features (photos, videos, blog, events, groups, gadgets) and uses drag-and-drop tools to place those features on the page; chooses visual theme (colors, fonts, sizes) and can customize these choices; and decides what information uses will be asked to provide to join the network.
 * If the membership is restricted, the creator can invite individual to join.
 * Implications to teaching and learning: Privacy, familiarity with media, your own social media
 * (Many taken from
 * 7 things you should know about Ning.
 * Top Ten Reasons - Why Ning

Ning's you Can Join
[|Ning in Education] Classroom 2.0

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More PLN Social Network sites
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If you build it will they come?
The Impact of Online Graduate Students’ Motivation and Self-Regulation on Academic Procrastination

Research articles on motivation and online learning