The Social Networking Teacher
Workday - 7:15am-3:45pm
The Internet used to be considered a young man's game. Kids' stuff. But now that the fastest growing group of users is retirees and seniors, that outlook is outdated. Of course, there is still this middle group of people in their late 30s to early 50s who are out of the loop (likely the same people I was addressing in my previous post). This is the group students would like to think their teachers are in.
They don't realize that some of us are in our 20s and early 30s. We grew up with computers, and the Internet emerged while we were in high school/university and we embraced it.
My students are shocked, SHOCKED, when they learn teachers use their same technology and gadgets. Their jaws dropped when I brought my Nintendo DS to school. I imagine their reaction would be similar if they learned my colleague just bought his third copy of GTA: San Andreas after wearing out the first two. They stifle giggles when they see our cell phones and iPods, assuming we're struggling to use their most basic functions.
Of course, when I was a student I never believed my teachers had any semblance of fun.
Imagine their surprise if they knew I had a blog, let alone accounts on most of the popular social networking sites. Students assume these places, such as LiveJournal, MySpace, Facebook, Friendster, etc., were created for them alone. Except I created a profile on one of these particular sites just recently, and at a student's urging. With one student on my list of friends, a snowball effect followed and I soon had over a dozen.
The snowballing also brought in other teachers who made profiles. I have four teachers on my list of friends, three of whom are colleagues. These colleagues' friend lists are made up almost entirely of current and past students.
Yes, this could be a slippery slope. But it's dangerous territory for both myself and the students. I'm being careful to make sure students are not seeing information that is too personal. The students, however, are not so careful.
Many Internet users (young and old) are still struggling with the knowledge that this place is public domain. It's fairly difficult to put incriminating comments out there and expect anonymity.
*nervous cough*
And there is definitely no privacy for such comments when they are attached to a profile with your name on it.
Do you think you're safe on your website because someone has to join to see profiles, or because someone has to add you as a friend to see you specifically? Well teachers, parents, and principals are joining! And even if we're not on your list of friends, have you been checking the friends of every other person whose profile you commented on?
It's the start of semester 2, and a certain student on one of my class lists hasn't shown yet. I've heard through the grapevine that he plans to drop the course. So fine, drop the course already. Don't post to your friend's profile: "Im not gunna com 2 class. Band sux. Hur hur hur", etc.
That friend of yours is my friend, too.
So look out kids. Teachers are on the same websites as you, reading everything you put out there.
Or, to put it in terms you might better understand:
*
*interchangeable with: Blogger, Facebook, LiveJournal, Friendster, etc.
The Internet used to be considered a young man's game. Kids' stuff. But now that the fastest growing group of users is retirees and seniors, that outlook is outdated. Of course, there is still this middle group of people in their late 30s to early 50s who are out of the loop (likely the same people I was addressing in my previous post). This is the group students would like to think their teachers are in.
They don't realize that some of us are in our 20s and early 30s. We grew up with computers, and the Internet emerged while we were in high school/university and we embraced it.
My students are shocked, SHOCKED, when they learn teachers use their same technology and gadgets. Their jaws dropped when I brought my Nintendo DS to school. I imagine their reaction would be similar if they learned my colleague just bought his third copy of GTA: San Andreas after wearing out the first two. They stifle giggles when they see our cell phones and iPods, assuming we're struggling to use their most basic functions.
Of course, when I was a student I never believed my teachers had any semblance of fun.
Imagine their surprise if they knew I had a blog, let alone accounts on most of the popular social networking sites. Students assume these places, such as LiveJournal, MySpace, Facebook, Friendster, etc., were created for them alone. Except I created a profile on one of these particular sites just recently, and at a student's urging. With one student on my list of friends, a snowball effect followed and I soon had over a dozen.
The snowballing also brought in other teachers who made profiles. I have four teachers on my list of friends, three of whom are colleagues. These colleagues' friend lists are made up almost entirely of current and past students.
Yes, this could be a slippery slope. But it's dangerous territory for both myself and the students. I'm being careful to make sure students are not seeing information that is too personal. The students, however, are not so careful.
Many Internet users (young and old) are still struggling with the knowledge that this place is public domain. It's fairly difficult to put incriminating comments out there and expect anonymity.
*nervous cough*
And there is definitely no privacy for such comments when they are attached to a profile with your name on it.
Do you think you're safe on your website because someone has to join to see profiles, or because someone has to add you as a friend to see you specifically? Well teachers, parents, and principals are joining! And even if we're not on your list of friends, have you been checking the friends of every other person whose profile you commented on?
It's the start of semester 2, and a certain student on one of my class lists hasn't shown yet. I've heard through the grapevine that he plans to drop the course. So fine, drop the course already. Don't post to your friend's profile: "Im not gunna com 2 class. Band sux. Hur hur hur", etc.
That friend of yours is my friend, too.
So look out kids. Teachers are on the same websites as you, reading everything you put out there.
Or, to put it in terms you might better understand:
**interchangeable with: Blogger, Facebook, LiveJournal, Friendster, etc.
Labels: blog, facebook, friendster, Internet, livejournal, myspace, social networking, teachers
