Point+Counterpoint+Social+Networking

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Introduction

 * What is Social Networking?**

Social networking is the use of the internet and/or mobile devices to mediate communication, collaboration, and content across a network of contacts.

As people growing up in an Internet age, most of us use social networks to some degree, whether it be to connect with friends, or “find out” not-so-vital information about colleagues and distant acquaintances alike. Knowing “friends” life happenings has become a bit of a life happening itself.

Those of us who do not use social networks, are probably somewhat familiar with websites like Facebook, and Twitter because of their increasingly ubiquitous presence in both the Internet and “real” worlds. It is hard not to be familiar when avenues unrelated to social networks incorporate the icons and functions of those very networks in the ways they promote themselves and attempt to foster interest in their viewers. The nature of this social hyper-connectivity is an aspect of social networking, and its place in the classroom, that we will address here on our Wiki.

What makes social networking popular, and useful for educational purposes, however, can also be what creates problems. Many people can be connected by it, which creates greater accessibility, but also poses questions about privacy and interpersonal boundaries.

This is a new area for even the Internet, and the rules are still being established. As future teachers, we have the opportunity to take advantage of our society’s developing connectivity for the better and create online learning spaces for our students. We always have the responsibility to understand the very public nature of social networks, because despite the fact that interaction may be limited or controlled on these sites, the knowledge we put out there is not. Our discussion of the aspect of this issue will help create the rules that can help it to work, in and out of the classroom. ‍

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**Panel Discussion: The Pros and Cons of Social Networking in School**

Question: Why should we support/not support social networking sites as an educational tool?

 * Support: || Not Support: ||
 * < * Knowledge develops within social and cultural contexts. Human-to-human interactions are central to learning environments, whether they be teacher-to-student or student-to-student. Social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, extend the learning environment outside of the classroom as well as beyond geographical borders.
 * In an increasingly technological literate world, it is only logical that we find engaging and effective ways to incorporate new technologies into the classroom. Students already use social networking sites on their own, often unsupervised. By including the use of social networking sites in an educational setting, we can also instruct students on proper internet etiquette and how to take steps to protect themselves from potential harm. ||< * From the perspective of a parent, there are a lot of risks when it comes to using online social media and kids are putting too much of themselves out there for the world to see.
 * Posting anything, even with proper privacy settings, is very risky and could lead to disaster.
 * Personal facts about students, including their opinions and beliefs, should not be posted online. ||

Question: What are specific uses/problems of social networking in the classroom?

 * Uses: || Problems: ||
 * * Twitter can be used to quickly disseminate information, such as links to articles, or share ideas in 140 characters or less.
 * Blogs put our thoughts in a public forum, so students learn to develop a clear and coherent writing voice, and can read comments from their readers – creating a virtual dialogue.
 * Facebook can be used to create online learning communities.Students can engage in discussion, ask questions, or deal with other class-related items while they are already using Facebook during their free time. || * Kids already spend too much time on the internet, and using social networking sites for assignments or discussion outside of school only gives them an excuse to use Facebook or Twitter for non-educational purposes.
 *  Tim Pychyl, an associate professor of psychology at Carleton University, said in a 2009 CBC news article, "Facebook is like taking a person with a gambling problem to Vegas. It's just too easy to get doing other things rather than the hard work of intellectual work. And Twitter's even worse."
 * Creating a class site on Facebook is a great idea, but comes with some risks. Someone, such as another student or an adult individual, could find the site and target the entire class.
 * Cyberbullying is an ever-growing issue, and the use of social networking outside of school for educational purposes could provoke students to bully their peers. This is also not limited to students being bullied; students could potentially target their teachers based off of any information or material teachers post online.
 * While teachers can always encourage their students to keep the information they post private, privacy settings can sometimes reset at random. If a teacher sees anything questionable of illegal posted by students, even if they haven't gone looking for it, they must report it. The chance that privacy setting may randomly reset, making posted material viewable to all, is very risky.
 * You may not always remember what you have posted to the internet over the years that is accessible to everyone, or what others have posted about you. Google yourself to see what information exists and delete anything you wouldn't want your students to see.
 * Online Facebook office hours once a week is a great idea, but it may be pushing the boundaries of the teacher-student relationship. Some parents may not be comfortable with their children communicating with their teachers outside of school. ||

**Social Networking Scenarios**
__Responses__: //-Approach parents via a letter or verbal communication to explain the rationale behind using a social networking site, the way it will be used, and the privacy settings you have put in place// //-Do not post anything mandatory on the site--use it only as an additional aid// //-Avoid using a social networking site altogether and instead use a wikipage, Moodle page, etc.// //-Create a real-life "Facebook" page in your classroom with poster board, where each student has his or her own page, can write on each other's walls, leave comments, etc.// __Something to Consider__: Does having a class Facebook page disadvantage students without internet access? Do we avoid using a tool that may help the majority of the class for the sake of equal opportunity for all?
 * 1. You as a teacher want to use a social networking site, but a student’s parents do not allow them to have a Facebook/Twitter/etc. account. How would you approach this situation?**

__Responses:__ //-Never "friend" students// //-Monitor what post so as to maintain professionalism// //-Make sure your privacy settings are set properly--so that no "friends of friends" can see what you post on someone else's wall// __Something to Consider__: While you are a teacher, you are still a person---students like to be reminded of that. (But keep it professional, nonetheless...this is a delicate balance to maintain!)
 * 2. You are not friends with any of your students on Facebook. However, one of your “Facebook friends” //is//---subsequently, your students could see what you post on his/her page. How do you handle this situation? How do we continue to maintain the boundaries between teachers and students?**



__Responses:__ -//Introducing students to a social networking site is a great way to address their "internet footprint" and explain that what they post on one of these sites can be traceable/permanent. It is important to discuss the ramifications of inappropriate internet behavior// //-Parental concerns about privacy can come into play here. Some parents do not feel that it is appropriate for their student's teacher to e-mail them, let alone send them a private message on Facebook. It is important to maintain appropriate boundaries at all times to avoid any potential problems.//
 * 3. Web etiquette—how would you have a conversation about this? What needs to be addressed?**



Creative Uses for Social Networking in the Classroom
-In an English or Social Studies class, have students create a Facebook page for a literary character or political figure. Students must fill in the profile as if they are the character/person---this requires students to have knowledge of the character, text, historical information, etc. -Use the [|Slide Share]app. on Facebook to post slideshows, presentations, notes, etc. to your class Facebook page -Use the "Events" section on a Facebook page to remind students about upcoming filed trips, etc. This section could include a map or website for the destination that parents may find helpful -Add the "Polls" app. to your Facebook page to get students' opinions on a variety of topics -Use Twitter for a specific lesson--check out Steve Rayburn's "[|Twitter in Hell]" project, used to teach Dante's "Inferno" -Hold "office hours" via Facebook message or chat.



Things to Remember:
-Social Networking in Education is a hot topic. As was recently the [|case in Missouri], teachers are often facing administrations that are unwilling to allow teachers to have contact with students on social networks. Be prepared to present a well thought-out plan, supported by evidence if you are facing an administration that seeks to limit your use of social networking sites as a teaching tool. As in the Missouri case, such restrictions can be seen as unconstitutional and a violation of free speech rights.

Sources Consulted:
Joseph P. Mazer, Richard E. Murphy & Cheri J. Simonds (2007): I'll See You On "Facebook": The Effects of Computer-Mediated Teacher Self-Disclosure on Student Motivation, Affective Learning, and Classroom Climate, //Communication Education//, 56: 1, 1-17.

__Group Meeting Sessions__: Wednesday, Sept. 14, 7:30-9:00 Friday, Sept. 16, 12-1:30