The importance of elementary school students’ social chat online: Reconceptualising the curriculum

The Internet is increasingly being used as a tool for communicating and learning in primary schools across many developed and developing countries. The place of social chat as part of online interactions has as yet not been fully recognised as an important component of learning.In this paper, the interactions of students in a Sydney primary school are examined focusing on the role that social chat plays as part of the online learning process. Here it is found that social chat allows for the development of related skills and knowledge and is an important precursor to more formal learning opportunities and as such, should be considered as an important part of the learning process. Such a consideration has implications for the way the curriculum is designed, implemented and assessed.