most students aren't unaware of the far-reaching implications of not using social media responsibly. Most students don't realize that copies of everything they posts are also stored in every router that connects them from their home computer to the hosting site, so they really have to make sure that a lot of thought is given to everything they post.
M. Crowley
Students need to develope better social networking habits because it will help them in the professional working world. I think that many students are accustomed to posting anything and everything, which is not appropriate for the professoinal environment. Learning what is appropriate and not appropriate will help them.
Why is it important for students to develop good social networking habits?
It is important for students to develop good social networking habits for tools like blogs, Wikipedia, YouTube, etc. to create knowledge, understanding and establish academic communication. Students actually build strong bonds with their classmates and friends on social networking. When students feel connected they have a good sense of belonging and being accepted. Overall, social networking has allowed students to participate and become involved, where as they normally would not participate. Of course, you will eventually see improvement in their daily school activities through participation. Through participation this makes it real, more relevant and meaningful for students.
These skills can transfer to the workplace. Students should practice using a professional tone; employers aren't inclined to hire individuals who can't communicate in a clear, concise, respectful manner.
Rosalind,
You are right. It is amazing how small the world is when you start connecting. I had a student that was asked for her facebook username and password as part of the interview process.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Bonnie,
You are right. I find our alumna are more quickly to share their Facebook or LinkedIn information than anything. They do expect to connect to colleagues. We actually work with all of our freshmen on cleaning social media.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Students should develop good social networking habits because the world today incorporates technology to communicate. You are not always communicating with friends therefore you need to display respect for others when commenting. Potential employers, business partners or others who could provide you assistance may be in your social networking circle.
It is important for students to develop good social media networking habits because thats where most people are networking today. It's a place where they can contact others in their fields of study and where future employers are looking to find qualified canadates for employment. People need to be aware that their entire social history is on display so they may want to delete certian pictures or be more "aware" of what they "post".
Michael ,
Do you think we should teach students to act differently on Facebook than LinkedIn? I actually had a student who was interviewing for a part-time job and the employer asked for her username and password to view her account. She didn't do it and she didn't get the job.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Tina,
Great post. LinkedIn is becoming such a powerful tool to connect. We make all our students go through a "hygiene" course. You were also very nice to say "belly buttons". I have heard other body parts. . . . :)
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Dr. Glenn ,
I agree with you totally. They need to know the professional side of social media and it is important they know the importance of this medium. It becomes more powerful for professional networking as time passes.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hello Dr. Wilkinson,
There are a few things that come to mind.
First, social media are shared spaces. Some behaviors or language that are considered acceptable in private, among family and friends, are often not considered acceptable in public.
Second, future employers or media may monitor public networks. Immature comments or offhand/disparaging remarks could limit a student's employment opportunities or reflect badly on the organization.
Third, if an instructor is using social media for discussions or for group projects, they must ensure that the communications among students are polite and respectful. The rules for communications that apply in the workplace should also apply for social media that are integrated into coursework. Our students will be expected to work in teams at some point in their careers. It seems appropriate to introduce them to standards that will apply to them in the workplace.
Best wishes,
Michael Luzius
Student learning expectations for active use of social media should not be a self developed practice. Students must be guided by effective guidelines to learn the rules and expected online behavior for proper and safe interaction. If students are left to their own conditioned practices for online social media involvement, they may be at risk.
Dr. Kelly - I think it is important for students to have good social networking "hygiene". You wouldn't rank and rave in person, so don't do it electronically.
Students need to have guidelines to tell them what is acceptable use. People have become very used to having instant gratification and feedback, which sometimes makes them sloppy.
I make my expectations very clear in my online classroom. Especially important is: you can disagree, just be respectful. Opinions are like belly buttons - everyone gets to have one.
Tina
Michael,
I agree with you. We now have our freshmen go through a workshop on professional social media usage. We also know that LinkedIn is where they need to be regarding networking. It is our responsibility to train them. . . or at least try!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
It's important for students to develop good social networking habits because, bluntly, students need to be more socially savvy these days than ever. With Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn being watched by potential hiring managers, students need to be prepared that their lives are being watched and they need to be cognizant of their actions and opinions being noticed.
Natasha,
You are right. I find on a college campus that instructors who teach in more of the humanities don't see it that way but those who teach in professional programs such as business, nursing, and technology see social networking as a skill that students must have. We find more of our students are getting jobs through LinkedIN and other sites than ever before. It also means that employers are in social media sites and see what students post.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
It is important to for students to develop good social networking habits because it will help them in the future once they are done with school. Social networking can help students get a job and meet prospective employers.
Paula,
But how do you mentor them regarding appropriate use? It is such an important tool for professionals.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Students must understand that social media is a public forum. Anything they would not want the public to know, they should not post on social media.
