Social media can be a truly terrifying experience. When I first
started using Facebook as a freshman in college, I definitely saw more bad than
good experiences. Imagine a dorm hall full of problems, and then on top of that
the problems are then broadcast and videotaped for the world to see. Through these
experiences I witnessed, I learned the good, the bad , and the ugly of social
media.
With that said, I think using social networking in schools
is an excellent idea.
According to the
article, “AASL's second longitudinal survey reveals schools’ acceptance of
social networking tools”, 53% of elementary, middle and high schools use some
sort of collaborative instructional tool, 41% use podcast, and 29% use blogs
for instructional purposes.
Through our readings, we see the importance of
collaborations. Social media makes collaborating with teachers and students
easy and to the point. For example, using Twitter is a great way to advertise
special events in the library and spread the word quickly. It takes little to
no effort to retweet something to all of your followers. Social media creates a
sort ripple effect for us.
I will add as a potential con, social media (and really the
internet in general) can be a breeding ground for bullying and just inappropriate
behavior. If you do make the choice to include social media in your library
program you must be sure to monitor frequently.
With that said, I am not in a school so I am not sure how
popular social networking is at schools.
Please someone fill me in.
I will say
that we would have to be careful with posting pictures and things of that
nature. There are so many instances of… let’s say…inappropriate situations.
According to the article, “Secure Social Networking”, there are many sites that
provide a safe haven for students. The many sites listed are excellent
resources for teachers and librarians on how to stay informed about social
media dangers. Because of the public access with social networking, diligence
is necessary.
The only social media sites I've noticed are Facebook pages
and Flickr accounts for specific school organizations (basketball team, FBLA,
etc.) and I’m not sure who operates these pages.
Metz, G. (2008). Secure social networking . School Library Journal , 54(7), 18.
http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2008/june2008/AASLsurvey.cfm
Metz, G. (2008). Secure social networking . School Library Journal , 54(7), 18.
http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2008/june2008/AASLsurvey.cfm
I totally agree with you that they are many ugly things that can get started by using social media. Bullying is even more rampant it seems. Most of our problems are usually attributed to what someone said about someone else on FB, Twitter, Kick, Snapchat, etc. There are just too many ways that meanness can come through.
ReplyDeleteLike you said though, there is good to be had with social media. The twitter idea is definitely being used in schools with success. There are other sharing sites that are useful for educators, but it is a shame that some of that can be diminished by cruel people.
You want to know what I hear about when it comes to students and social media.....negativity. Really,it seems parents do not monitor what their children are using and what they are posting. The snapchat app is a problem because kids think that because a picture does not stay on the screen long that noone else will see it....not what happens. They don't understand that even pictures like that(mostly of their private parts) do not disappear. It is in the World Wide Web forever. That is what worries me about having technology in the schools. Are we held liable if a student shares inappropriate things when they are at school? We cannot control what goes on in bathroom stalls. What do you think?
I am glad you shared safe sites. Students need to be pushed to those sites and shown that they can learn good things from the Internet. I think that Internet safety lessons are a MUST in today's school and students need to be aware of the harsh realities of social networking.
I do use FB for my cheerleading team. It has become a good communication tool, but I also open it to their parents so that they are aware of what is being put on the page. Well, that's my two cents!
It is a little crazy to think just how connected we are by social networking we have become. I think for me my first introduction to any social network was facebook. And lately I have started to follow more on my twitter account. I really like twitter for educational links. Using any kind of social networking tool will require setting limits up front and going over the ground rules with the users. I don't really see Facebook being an educational platform for collaboration purposes but more of an information resource. I think that there are better choices for building the collaboration and sharing between students. I have to agree with Layla too about the parents being involved with their kids technology experiences. This is a big concern with me, especially when I see kids who don't even have a parent who is willing to read with them or help with any kind of homework. At our school teachers now have access to our facebook accounts, twitter and pinterest. This is a good step in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteBrianna,
ReplyDeleteEverything in life has the good and the bad. We as educators should educate our children how to be responsible when using social networking. Make no mistake about it our students will use and have been using Twitter, Facebook, Kik or even Instagram. Just the other day one of my students assisted me with setting up a Kik account. I usually give the student my phone number to contact me when needed. One of my students suggested that I set up a Kik account so that I don’t have to give out my number. I know now that was a great idea. I now communicate with my students in a positive manner and my phone is not ringing off the hook. Two thumbs up for Kik in my book.