The first thing I thought of for this assignment was a Facebook group I'm in. It's a group for fans of hard rock and heavy metal, but the regulars (I'm one of 40-50 people who post regularly) discuss all kinds of music. I don't mean to brag, but my identity in this group is that of an expert: a lot of the regulars who aren't necessarily as "experienced" in metal as I am ask me and a few other people for recommendations. However, the best thing about the group is that it's reciprocal: for every recommendation I give, I get four or five from someone else. It would be a fair estimate that I first found out about half of the bands in my iTunes library via this discussion board. This exchange of information makes for a tight-knit group with its own inside jokes, jargon, and protocol. For instance, if you're new to the forum, you can't just jump in and start posting; most of us regulars consider that rude, and we have a whole thread dedicated for newbie introductions. Also, when one of us says "tr00 kvlt blakk metuhl," most people would have no idea what we're talking about. However, that phrase functions as both an example of our own little version of the English language, and as an inside joke (I won't explain it here, because that defeats the purpose of an inside joke). However, we don't abuse the English language, either: we usually type grammatically correct posts, and people who tYp3 lYk Th15 in seriousness are often ridiculed for being an idiot.
Something like this group I'm in could function in the classroom as a way for students to share ideas. The Ning for this class is an excellent example. Students can post their own material, get feedback from their peers, and respond to others' work. Not only is this a way to facilitate discussion of class material, but it also allows students to sound out their ideas and writing abilities, enabling them to both better understand the material and improve their writing and critical thinking skills.
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