The Controversy of the Social Network

Social networking (Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc.) has become a common communication tool for people of all ages. The Pew Research Center (2014, January) found that 74% of online adults are using social media. The number show a sharp decline in use for the older generations, but across income and education levels they are fairly steady. "Everyone" is using social media. It has become the norm for our society. Teenagers are a bit different, however. The same research group shows that while 93% of teenagers are online, only 55% of them have created a social networking profile. This seems to be because of teens becoming "multi-channel" - users of multiple different communication tools (instant messaging, cell phone, text message, etc.). Social media has its hold on adults, but the next generation of teenager is branching out.

The multi-channel teen can hang out in person and still use other media.

So to the question of social media in schools. What's all the fuss about? There are some clear issues with adapting social media to the classroom. Some of them stem from teacher student interaction. The Alberta Teachers Association wrote an article detailing some of those issues. Inappropriate posting seems to be at the heart of it. To me, that seems to be an easy hurdle to overcome. My personal rule with social media is to not friend students. Period. I will allow them to friend me once they graduate, but even then I limit my contact with them as acquaintances. Students (and graduates) thrive on recognition and if having a friend request accepted upon graduation will bolster them, then I'm all for it. Other than that, we are not friends - I have no need to share my random quips or life events or directed rants with my students. That's not entirely true - I share those things with them in the classroom. Voice communication is far easier for students to translate than text communication. Reading a post on Facebook comes with the emotion of the reader not with the emotion of the author. Sarcasm is wasted in text communication.

In the classroom, you may choose to use something like Edmodo or Kidblog as a tool for learning. These 'social media' platforms are controlled and limited by the teacher. The same pitfalls can apply however, if the teacher is not careful. As teachers, we are under tremendous scrutiny. We have to be pinnacles of the community in our public life. When our personal lives bleed into our public lives, we can run into problems. The National Educators Association discusses several cases where teachers lost their positions for inappropriate actions on social media.

The other side of the coin is how students are going to interact with each other. Cyber-bullying is the buzzword that the media tosses around. But, teens have reported bullying in a variety of contexts. The CDC reports that between 9% and 35% of teens have experienced online bullying compared to 4% to 21% experiencing face-to-face aggression.

CDC statistics on electronic aggression. 

Here's one of the key points, however. "Although the news media has recently devoted a lot of attention to the potential dangers of technology, face-to-face verbal and physical aggression are still far more common than electronic aggression." (CDC, 2008) The data shows an increase in electronic aggression over the years, but the problem isn't that students have access to social media - the problem is that students are being aggressive period. These students need to be educated in how to treat each other regardless of what delivery system they're using.

So, with all that information, what's my point? Social media isn't the devil. It's a tool like any other. When a tool becomes harmful, we don't take them away, we educate people on how to use them properly. Students behave however they behave regardless of the platform they are on.

Until next time . . .

Footprints in the digital sand.

Today's topic:

Reflect on your own digital footprint and personal thoughts on digital citizenship, as well as the necessity of teaching students about digital citizenship in school. Also, discuss your thoughts on an appropriate age of introduction to digital citizenship.

My own digital footprint is pretty small from what I can tell. The standard Google search of my name (in quotes) gives you a look at where I work (public school), my membership in the NHGMC, my Facebook page (just the front page, public stuff), and a random mention of me in a friends Google+ posting from like 4 years ago at Disney World. I remember when my digital footprint was a bit larger, but many of the photos of me have gone away with old websites, etc.  Who cares, right?

Me from the internet, aren't I handsome?

I have been pretty careful about what I let get put onto the internet about my personal life. I keep the Timeline Review feature active on FB and I do periodically search for myself to keep an eye on it. Not in a paranoid way or anything, but in a curiosity way. I try to personally be a good digital citizen. If I would close my blinds at home, I wouldn't post it to the internet. Also, I carefully read everything I post to make sure that inferences are minimized and that I'm not insulting people when I don't mean to be. Digital communication is a lot harder than most people think.

Frontline did an excellent documentary on digital citizenship called Generation Like. It is about how the social media craze is all about what other people think. This lends itself to the idea that we need to teach our children about digital footprints and digital citizenship early. Children can become members of groups that are spread across the country and across the world. They can get their 'empowerment' from anywhere, their rush of endorphins when someone 'likes' their post. They are becoming more social and less social at the same time.

PBS's documentary program.

One of the problems I think they might run into is that they are lacking experiences that they might have had if they hadn't been so focused on the one or two ideas/topics. They won't have the opportunity to experience differing opinions as they gather in large, digital groups. We have to steer them away from that thinking. We have to get them to thinking critically about what they read on the internet, even if it is in their favorite Reddit thread.

As the generations change, I think the digital footprints and the problems associated with it will become less egregious. As these students grow up, they will teach their own children about good digital citizenship and their experiences can be passed on to a new generation of digital natives.  Because we as educators are encountering this now, we have to take the steps that the parents don't or can't because they don't know how to educate their children on this extremely important part of growing up.

Until next time. . . .

Tech Wars: Return of the Edublogger

Hello again, fans!

I have returned to my blog because I am tackling another course for my master's degree. This one is the Technology Integrator's Toolbox (EDU 642 for those keeping score). So, it's all about technology. You know how I feel about technology. If you don't you should probably refer back to the title of this blog. No, really . . . go look at the title.

Today's blog post comes to us in the form of the following questions:

"What are your ideas of what a technology integration specialist is as you previously learned in other SNHU courses? Also, discuss today’s students and teachers as related to their use of technology in and out of the classroom."

I can do that. Here we go.

So, the only class I've had which seems relevant was my Learning Through Technology course (the one that got me to start this blog in the first place). That course put me on the road to understanding how technology can be used effectively in the classroom. When I say effectively, this is really the idea that I have for a tech integrator. Anyone can use technology, but I think an integrator can help teachers use it effectively. By combining the ideas in the classroom with ideas from the technological world, you can build effective lessons to inspire your students to achieve.

One of the things I've been saying for a while now was reflected in the video Rethinking Learning: The 21st Century Learner (MacArthur Foundation, 2010). "I don't think any kid is born digitally native," is said around 1:12 in the video, which I wholeheartedly agree with. We are so buried under the idea that our students are holding powerful computers in their hands so they must be fully versed in technology. They are not. I have had so many conversations with students where I ask for someone to perform a task on their phone and I get blank looks and confusion. Students haven't been taught how to use their phones. They only thing they've decided to learn are the popular and fun apps like Twitter, Snapchat, Vine, etc. They haven't delved into the powerful tool they have at their disposal. Nor has anyone given them a lesson in how to do that. Parents are presently unequipped to be their teachers in this area. They know just as little and are often more afraid to try new things. The technology integrator must be able to help teachers step into this role. We can introduce things that will help both the teacher and the student, all the while allowing for the teacher to take the lead and be the guide for the technology.

So there you have it, my view of what I'm trying to become. Or technically already am, just without the degree to add to my name. :-/

References:
MacArthur Foundation, (2010)., Rethinking Learning: The 21st Century Learner. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=c0xa98cy-Rw