Social "Not"working

Social networks, such as facebook and twitter, have made an already grey area even denser. TSPC standards require us to maintain an "appropriate professional student-teacher relationship" (584-020-0035, 1, c). This is difficult because we want to know our students so that we can optimize their learning, but where is the line? Much of it is left up for interpretation. Some parents or faculty members may view a relationship to one extreme, while others view the same relationship as healthy and ethical. I think the burst of technology in this generation is advantageous in some regards, but for the time being it creates more problems for teachers. Until there clear guidelines can be established, the grey area is going to thicken like a dense fog and make it impossible to do much of anything. Too many "professionals" have a poor sense of professional judgement, making it difficult for those of us who understand how to properly use new media.

With that being said, I also see the more practical, and advantageous, uses of social networks. The job of the educator is to understand which methods are appropriate for both the topic/activity and the age-group. Twitter can be an effective method for producing a running dialog, but I believe it is more suitable for college students than, say, freshman or sophomores in high school. In a course at Penn State - University Park, two instructors allowed their students to post tweets during class. Keeping a watch on the feed, the professors found they could learn what "interested [their students] or puzzled them...getting a read on what concepts needed further explanation" (Zax, 2009). This experiment proved highly beneficial for the professors, but solely because the students showed their curiosities. I think that younger students would be much more distracted and the conversation would be less focused on academics. However, there is always the option of setting rules/guidelines for the twitter feed as well, especially if it is a list specific for the class.

In regards to facebook, it is easier to initiate and maintain an academic level. Creating events as reminders for big projects and starting a group are two great ways to utilize something students are already familiar with. Why try to teach them new knowledge to produce results that previous knowledge can already produce? Groups are also great because they allow for running dialog between students that other students may have as well, which can be posed to the instructor or other students. Also, any field trips or class activities with photos can be posted (with parent/guardian permission) for the students to enjoy. Nonetheless, as with all things, the educator must be careful to maintain a professional relationship...

In her article Facebook: The New Classroom Commons? (2010), Harriet Schwartz cites an article published eight years before Facebook was created defines a commons as "a place where the diverse parts of a community could come together and hold a conversation" (Common Fire, 1996) and Facebook has clearly taken that role. Students post on each other's walls for everyone to see, read, "like" or comment on. Such an entwined existence is bound to create problems - which will be discussed further down - but it is also a great means for educating. It allows for the classroom to go home with students. Discussions that normally would be cut off by the bell can now continue online rather than simply ending. It also allows for less vocal students to offer their insights and opinions in a way they are comfortable with.

Such an involved relationship with students can cause problems for educators, who are already held to a higher standard than other professions. One facet of our job is to be a model for students of moral behavior and so those photos from that one college party need to be locked up. They may be great memories, and may have been ten years ago, but the fact is that we are models for these kids. For some, we may be the only model they have. It is very easy to set up privacy settings limiting what your students can and cannot see on your profile, even if you DO accept their friend request. However, perhaps the easiest method (and what I intend to do) is to not accept their friend requests as long as they are your student. You are more than welcome to be their friend once they have graduated and the relationship dynamics are shifted.

One area that is difficult to control is content on someone else's website, either private or public, that can be "googled". For Tamara Hoover, she lost her job because of this. She had done a nude photo shoot, conducted by her partner, in a professional and artistic manner. The photos themselves were artistic, but this goes back to the issue of interpretation. Firing her was drastic, but I also understand how the rumor-mill that all schools are would create some issues and distractions (most likely with male students). This also ties into the argument of professional judgement. The article does not say whether the photo shoot took place while Hoover was an active educator or not, but that would certainly play a role in determining the necessary disciplinary actions. In the case of the "bloody MySpace page" (Carter, Foulger & Ewbank, 2008), it is our job as mandatory reporters to go through our proper channels and procedures to ensure that our students receive any help they may be needing. The reality is that if we are going to bring the classroom home for our students, then we are held accountable for anything requiring our professional reaction(s) that may arise; including cyber-bullying...

If I intend to use social media in my classroom, then the potentiality of cyber-bullying to occur is very much present. As a mandatory reporter it is my job to be on the lookout for bullying and to report it. I am having a difficult time determining what is over-stepping my "jurisdiction" so to speak. If cyber-bullying occurs on a page I have set up for the class, then I will take the necessary actions because I consider that to be no different than if the comment had taken place in class. However, if I am online and happen across a belittling comment by a student on another student's page, am I obligated to report it? I feel like that is crossing into the realm of personal lives and that I should not act on it. Nonetheless, whether the posts occur on an academic profile or a personal one, I can use (or allude to) the posts as examples of bullying and teach what is appropriate for posting online. Often times students will not even realize they are bullying, and, on a different note, won't realize that posting their phone number onto Facebook is a bad idea.

All in all, media has a few holes that need plugging and grey areas in need of clarification, but, when used properly, can be highly effective for both students and educators alike.