eSchool News Online reported (August 14 2007) on a survey that shows 96 percent of teens and tweens
between the ages of 9 and 17 with Internet access in the U.S. are using
social networking technologies such as chat, text-messaging, blogging,
or visiting online communities such as Facebook and MySpace.

Here are some statistics from the report:

Who’s on first?

• 81% students report visiting a social networking site within the past three months.
• 71% report using social networking tools weekly.
• 59% report talk about “education” in their online social networks. 
• 50% report talking specifically about schoolwork.

Posting messages

• 21% students post comments on message boards every day.
• 41% post comments on message boards once a week.

Sharing music

• 32% students report download music or audio that other users uploaded at least once a week.
• 29% upload third-party music or audio themselves once a week.
• 12% upload podcasts of their own creation at least weekly.

Sharing videos

• 30% students download and view videos uploaded by others once a week.
• 9% upload videos of their own creation at least weekly.
• 22% report uploading videos they have created at some point.

Sharing photos

• 24% students post photos or artwork created by others once a week.
• 22% post photos or artwork created by themselves once a week.
• 49% report uploading photos or artwork at some point.

Site building

• 12% students report updating their website or online profiles every day.
• 25% report updating their website or online profiles weekly. 

Blogging

• 30% students report having a blog.
• 17% report adding content to their blogs at least weekly. 

Creating content

• 16%
  students report using online tools to create and share compositions and
  virtual objects (puzzles, games, clothing and houses (?)).
• 14% create new characters at least weekly.
• 10% start or contribute to online collaborative projects weekly or more frequently.
• 10% send suggestions or ideas to Web sites at least once a week.
• 9% submit articles to sites, create polls, quizzes or surveys at least weekly.

Against Me! School rules

• 92% school districts require parents and/or students to sign an Internet use policy.
• 98% districts surveyed use software to block access to “inappropriate” sites.
• 84% districts have rules against online chatting.
• 81% districts have rules against instant messaging.
• 62% districts have rules against participating on bulletin boards or blogs.
• 60% districts have rules against sending and receiving email in school.
• 52% districts prohibit use of social networking sites.

For me!

• 49% districts report schools participating in collaborative projects with other schools.
• 46% districts report students participating in international pen pal projects.
• 35% districts say their schools and/or students run blogs.
• 22% districts report classroom use of wikis or sites that allow users to edit/remove content.
• 27% districts support online professional development communities for teachers/principals.
• 71% districts report active/influential parental involvement in decision making and social networking. 

Required Access

• 96% districts report some teachers assigning homework requiring Internet access.
• 35% districts report more than half their teachers assign homework requiring Internet access.
• 94% districts of low socioeconomic status report some teachers assigning homework requiring Internet access.
• 27% districts of low socioeconomic status report more than half their teachers assign homework requiring Internet access.
• 95%
  districts report that at least some of their teachers use Web pages to
  communicate assignments, curriculum content, and other information.
• 88% districts subscribe to to online educational services or use learning management systems, or both.

Indecent proposals

• 20% students report seeing “inappropriate” pictures on social networking sites in the past three months.
• 18% students report seeing inappropriate language on social networking sites (16% parents concur).
• 7% students report someone asking for personal information.
• 7% students report experiencing some form of cyberbullying.
• 4% students report having conversations that made them uncomfortable.
• 3% students report unwelcome strangers trying repeatedly to communicate with them online.
• 2% (1 in 50) students report a stranger they met online tried to meet them in person.
• .08% students report actually having met a person from an online encounter without their parents permission.
• 52% districts report students providing personal information online as a “significant problem.”

 Value of social networking

• 48% district representatives expect social networking to introduce students to “new and different kinds of students.”
• 43%
  districts “hope” social networking will help students “learn to express
  themselves better creatively” and “develop global relationships.”
• 29% districts report believing social networking will improve academic abilities.
• 36% district reps “hope” social networking will help students learn to work together to solve academic problems.
• 76% parents report believing social networking will improve academic abilities.
• 75% parents expect social networking to improve their child’s ability to resolve conflicts.
• 72% parents expect social networking to improve their child’s social skills.

Prove it!

• 87%
  district leaders say “strong educational value and purpose” will be a
  requirement for them to permit students to access social networking
  sites.

Staff communication and professional development
“In districts where structured online professional communities exist…”

• 59% report at least half of their staff members participate.
• 37% report ninety percent or more participate.

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