On the Use of Virtual Social Networks in Education:Benefits and Challenges

ICT-based tools and new methods have been introduced into the field of teaching and learning recently. One of these new tools and methods in recent years (2007-2012) which has been known throughout the world and is used in education is Web 2. This paper reviews the main innovations of virtual social networks as a new tool for use in education and learning. The purpose of this article is to review current published research studies focusing on the use of social computing tools in educational uses. The emphasis of this review will be upon empirical findings rather than opinion or theoretical explanations. We summarize the hitherto accumulated state of knowledge concerning social computing tools. This review is organized into three sections that cover the major topics of current research: 1. social computing tools and educational uses، 2. the benefits and opportunities of learning،and 3. barriers and risks to learning. The conclusions generally suggest that learning by Web 2. 0 gives rise to innovation in learning in a variety of ways.