Facebook has taken steps into the education market with software that it claims allows children to learn at their own pace. It is working with non-profit Summit Public Schools which has pioneered a teaching method that allows students to learn online and be mentored in class. The project is separate from the social network.
There has been some scepticism about the technology firm’s move. In a blog post, Facebook’s chief product officer Chris Cox said that the firm wanted to create a classroom "centred around students’ ambitions". The system allows content and tests to be delivered online and classroom time is reserved for "teacher-led real-world projects and collaborations", it said.
"The technology itself has the power to bring to life the daily work by putting it in context," said Mr Cox. "It frees up classroom time for teachers to do what they do best – mentor students directly – and for students to spend time collaborating with, and in some cases, teaching each other."
But not everyone was convinced of the move. "We are very concerned about the privacy implications of this deal. Facebook is known for violating privacy and seems to be getting worse in this regard," Leonie Haimson from US non-profit Class Size Matters told the BBC.
"Who will control access to the personal student data and who will protect it? Who will decide? Parents or Facebook or the schools or districts? This is a critical question which must be answered – especially given its reputation."