Article #6 More Social Networking Issues

Wells, C. (November 17, 2010) Social Networking: The Essential Balancing Act in Schools. Retrieved from: http://thejournal.com/Articles/2010/11/17/Social-Networking-The-Essential-Balancing-Act-in-Schools.aspx?Page=1

Summary:

                This article is an overview of the concerns and nuances that teachers, schools, and school districts have to consider if online social networking is to be used as a learning tool. Online privacy for both the instructor as well as the students is a balancing act, as well as separating the personal life from the professional life. The appropriateness of online interaction is difficult to gauge, as the instructor does not fully have control over the content of the virtual classroom with the advent of Web 2.0. The school sets professional guidelines for both teachers and students to follow, but social networking is a gray space; it is outside the physical boundaries of the school and not necessarily under the jurisdiction of policy. With the increasing presence and importance of technology in the lives of students, it becomes clear that it could be an engaging and useful way of reaching students. Due to the gray areas however, teachers find themselves stuck between possibly overreaching their bounds and not doing enough. In order to apply social networking in education, the issue of appropriate use needs to be discussed and defined.

Reaction:

                This is a tough call to make as a pre-service educator without a rapport with students or experience in the field. As an educator, the line between the private and public persona is a thin line to walk; we need to command respect and also connect with students on a very basic human level. I always like the phrase, ‘familiarity breeds contempt,’ and I think this is a situation in which this could become very real. We don’t want to engage with students as peers because we are not; we aren’t in the position to be ‘friends’ with them, as it breaks down the relationship and challenges the power dynamic, which could have very real management implications. I think the best thing that school districts could do is provide policy that addresses this particular area and provide a means of facilitating a social networking exchange that is beneficial to everyone, admitting its flaws and potential while agreeing that it is a facet of the current educational environment that has arrived. I think that setting up discussion boards in a safe zone could be a means of providing a solution. There are many educational-centered websites that offer similar services that could be used in this regard, but I think policy needs to catch up with technology in order to curtail issues of professionalism and appropriateness of exchange.