Stacy,
That is true. Now, social media is more than just a social gathering, it is a professional networking particularly LinkedIn.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Jerome,
Yes it should. This is not going to go away. This is how they will find their jobs and their internships.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Amy,
Nice post, you can lock it down; but I don't share grades or classroom work or assignments; it is about the content and/or professionalism. I also evaluate and give feedback offline. I actually use the journaling feature in my LMS to give feedback regarding social media.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Dori,
Great point. It is interesting to me students think they can say anything (because they have the right to) and are shocked when there are ramifications. We require our students to take a social media workshop as freshmen so they begin to develop their persona as a professional.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Social networking is here to stay. Whether we like it or not, social networking is deeply ingrained in our students' lives and is a crucial habit. Thus, it makes sense that we tap into this channel as well.
As a high school teacher for many years, technology is becoming an omnipresent factor in learning. In the "old days" where email was the norm, it has become clear that students no longer really check their email. Then there was Facebook, then Twitter and texting as the primary communication tools between young people these days. This is important to understand because of the impact this technology is having on student learning, how they learn and attention spans. One challenge with this new age of speed in instant communication is that students often forget how to properly communicate with authority figures, forget when it is proper to communicate with someone and expect an instant response and how grammar and spelling actually work. It is important for students to be reminded of the fact that social networking is a powerful tool, but that limits and boundaries and appropriateness are still important lessons.
Students should develop good social networking habits because this is an opportunity to engage with and learn from others on a global level. They can engage in discussions with experts and make connections with those who could be of great assistance to them.
Good social networking habits will better prepare them for the vast opportunities inherent with this teaching medium. It should reinforce proper etiquette and bolster their ability to use this resource properly.
It is important for students to develop good social networking habits because it is being used more and more in professional networking. It is important to know the skills that promote professionalism and proper communication. Many people use social networking in a more personal and relaxed way. It may take a shift for some to think of it in a professional manner.
I do have one concern, how does confidentiality or FERPA play a role in social networking?
Hi, Dr. Wilkinson.
It's important for students to develop good social networking habits because these are the times we now live in. From LinkedIn to FB, to Twitter and the like, students need to realize the connections they are able to make along with the responsibility they need to take on for posting appropriate messages. "Big Brother" is watching. Social networking can be wonderful for students, as long as they are aware of the successes and consequences that might come along with it.
Eileen,
The benefit of using the technology is teaching students about the risk and the liability of it. It really can be mind blowing.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Wow -- I just copied this entire forum for reference and later review. I had been thinking only about making my class more tech-savvy and didn't really think about the other ramifications mentioned here. Companies use FB for credit checks? What next? Tweets with mind-reading capabilities?
Jennifer,
I agree with you. I am part of the "old guard" and it is hard to think this is just a passing fancy; but when I see the business environment using LinkedIn so much and I hear the comments of employers looking at potential employees' facebook pages. They are looking!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Christi,
I really hadn't thought about businesses meeting you before the f2f interaction. That is a great point. Students can't "unring a bill" when you post something on social meeting. That phone camera can be a students' worst enemy.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Michael,
You are right. There are companies now that specialize in the monitoring of social media. Business contract with these businesses to provide them with a report very similar to a credit report regarding their social media activities.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Julie,
I agree with you. It is amazing the emails I get from students to me with the language used. I don't that really helps their cause. I have heard over and over "I have the right to say what I want", and I say, " I have the right not to hire you".
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Revonna,
What a great post, you articulated the reasons well. I actually looked at a a couple of textbooks for business communication and they are adding all of those social networking tools as part of the content.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Melinda ,
I agree with you. Employers are looking at social media to determine communication ability of students. Students need to know that people are watching them in this venue.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
It is so interesting to think of the generational differences as far as attitudes to social media and putting info on the web in general. Some of this might not be **just** generational, but I do think that many of use who grew up without the internet perhaps think more about privacy issues. We didn't grow up with our lives being "public".
I have many students who seem to text and facebook post almost as a reflex, if that makes sense - like that's what their thumbs naturally "do". Though it seems easy to just "delete" something if you didn't want it up, this really isn't true. It is especially important to consider one's future, and make sure everything we post on the web is "professional" - would you want your future "boss" to see this? I think it can be difficult for college students - especially the youngest ones - to think in this manner. Developing good social networking habits is a skill that will truly last a lifetime!
It is important for students to develop good social networking habits because it allows students to use the platform to demonstrate what they have learned. It also teaches students the important of having good written skills. Many organizations are using social media as a recruitment method. Having good social networking habits can be beneficial in helping the student advance his or her career by allowing organizations to meet them without having a true face-to-face interaction. The one thing that is important is for students to think before they post because once the information is posted it becomes permanent content.
Christi Monk, MA
