Ning Advantages/Limitations

My experience with nings are limited to using the RU SCILS ning (http://scilslounge.ning.com).   I encourage you to join!  However, based on my experience, I've observed a few advantages and limitations.  

Advantages:

• Comfort level/security - If you are like me, while you don't know everyone on the ning, you know they are in some way connected with the same organization (in this case RU).  That makes me feel a lot better, and as you can see on my screencast, I use my real name on the ning.  
• Networking/Communication - The ning provides users with a way to connect with others who probably have similar interests and concerns.  In the case of the RU SCILS ning, there are discussion forums for topics most user will find interesting or helpful.  Anyone can start a discussion group.  There are also "groups" that users may join which connect them even further by job, grade level or area.
• Announcements - The ning is a great way to get information out quickly.  For example, when the proposal for the SCILS name change first surfaced, all ning users were able to keep current.
• Real Campus - As an online student, we often don't feel as connected to the RU organization since we don't have the opportunity to meet face to face.  Using the ning, we are able to socialize in almost the same way as students meeting on campus.

Limitations:

• Restrictiveness - Because members of the ning are generally part of the same organization, it is restrictive in the sense that users can only connect and share with individuals in that organization.  For example, a school can establish a ning, and teachers of all grade levels can connect,  but it would be helpful for members of that school to share ideas with teachers in the same grade level, but at a different school.  This can't be done with a ning.
• Responsiveness - Just like email, the ning allows a user to reach out with questions to other users, but there is no way of ensuring that question will be answered.  The responsiveness on a ning is at the mercy of the users.
• Time consuming - As with other social networking sites, the ning may consume much of an individual's time.  Users may spend hours adding photos or responding to others.

Ning in a Work Environment:

A ning can be used in any work environment where individuals need to work individually, but closely together as well.  Examples that comes to mind are public libraries, school librarians, and college students at the same university, but possibly at different campuses.  However, almost any group that has some underlying connection may find using a ning useful.  

School librarians could use a ning to ask and answer questions connected to policies and collection development.  They might share ideas for research projects or ways to schedule classes.  Ideas for special programs such as Read Across America or reading incentive programs can easily be shared using a ning.