Theresa Schmitt, M.Ed.

Zafar,
Reaction to utilizing Facebook as a teaching and learning tool has met mixed reaction here on the discussion board. Some have concerns about privacy and drawing the line between student and faculty. Others have mentioned students not behaving professionally when participating in an online discussion.Another concern faced by faculty is the campus-based Acceptable usage policy (AUP). Many schools do not allow students and active students to interact via social media, with a common exception being LinkedIn.

Wishing you continued success in the classroom.

Theresa Schmitt

Elizabeth Grant

The only suggestion I had about facebook with my school was to keep track of student's employment after graduation. It is an easy tool to get in fairly instant contact with them, but because facebook has the potential to allow someone access to the private side of the instructor, it can be difficult. Our school only allows facebook iwth one administrator and it is a school page.

Theresa Schmitt, M.Ed.

Elizabeth,
At the institution where I work we also use Facebook to assist in tracking graduate placement. We find we have a better response rate when reaching out to these graduates through Facebook rather than phone or by email. Great post regarding another way Facebook can be used by educators and administrators!

Wishing you continued success in the classroom.

Theresa Schmitt

Robert Dillmon

It's certainly a good tool, but it's too difficult to separate professionalism from personal agendas. Seems like LinkIn has a more professional status than Facebook at this time.

EmmiE Vigil

it would be nice to be able to have a couple of different face book sites to use. one for private use and one work related.

Theresa Schmitt, M.Ed.

Emmie,
I personally maintain two separate pages, one for personal use, one professional. Is this something you have established as well since learning more about the benefits of incorporating social media into the learning environment?

Wishing you continued success in the classroom.

Theresa Schmitt

rebecca moesinger

I agree. Students are very comfortable with Facebook that I believe it can be adapted to be an additional tool for learning.

Travis Hawkley

My school also uses Facebook to assist in contacting students for placement purposes. I can call a student and receive no response. I can message them on Facebook and they respond in usually under a minute.
One of my classes took it upon themselves to start a Facebook group for my class. They utilized it constantly outside of class to talk and chat, but also as an online forum for group study. They would be on there at all hours of the night discussing topics relevant to the class. This was two and a half years ago and they still get on there to chat every once in a while.
Social Media can be a powerful tool when used correctly. It is time consuming but worth it with younger students. They have grown up with this stuff and it is the normal.

Theresa Schmitt, M.Ed.

Travis,

Thank you very much for sharing your experience with Facebook; I also believe social media can be a very powerful tool for student collaboration and retention. I find students who are connected via Facebook and Twitter participate more in class because they have already built relationships outside of the classroom.

Wishing you continued success in the classroom.

Theresa Schmitt

Adel Achenbrener CHEP

I agree that Facebook could be a very useful tool to contact students and keep them engaged with their campuses if used correctly. Perhaps your institution could set up its own page and only interact with students via that page and not through an individual such as an instructor.

Kim Silverman CHEP

While I think facebook is fantastic, I think it would very difficult to separate personal/academic unless you require the students to come up with a new account just for the class.

LaShawn Joiner

I think using Facebook is wonderful for personal/academic networking. I think it would take a lot of discipline to separate the two also.