Ning seemed to be an application name tossed around a lot at NECC.

Ning lets you create and join new social networks for your interests and passions.

Based in Palo Alto, Calif., Ning offers an innovative and easy-to-use technology platform for people to join and create new social networks for their interests and passions and meet new people around the things they care about most in their life.

With over 1 million social networks created and more than 27 million registered members, millions of people everyday are coming together across Ning Networks to explore and express their interests, discover new passions, and meet new people around shared pursuits.

Ning also enables artists, brands and organizations to simplify and control their online presence with their own unique social network that beautifully integrates with other social media services while providing the most direct, unique and lucrative relationship with fans, consumers, and members.

In several sessions I went to, presenters shared the ways they have used Nings in their schools or classrooms.

–A Ning was used as a place for students and teachers to discuss current event topics as part of a history or government class.

–A Ning was used as a central location for teachers and students from various schools to keep the topic of digital citizenship on the table.

–A college instructor used a Ning as a discussion arena, but also a place for assignments.

–An English classroom created a Ning with the purpose of giving students an authentic, real live audience for writing.

A Ning is a great way to centralize any group of people around a topic or interest, and it’s a wonderful tool for the classroom or school.  Membership can be controlled, but an important point if students are going to be participating in the Ning is to make expectations clear.  It is not a “social” place, like Myspace or Facebook.  Posting will be on topic and digital etiquette will be expected (which might mean you need to clearly define your etiquette norms).

I know that I want to implement a Ning, but first, I have to decide exactly what the purpose of it will be.  A Downtown School community Ning?  A technology discussion Ning for students and teachers?  A Ning for writing teachers and students that I could moderate, taking the burden off of the classroom teachers so they can concentrate on the writing topics?  Those are just a few of the ideas I have…

Any other ideas, feel free to discuss!