Students and instructors connecting on social media outlets can be complicated because of the possibility that information from an instructors personal life will available for anyone to see.Posting of photographs or text can be copied and stored.It seems that Sites such as Facebook have the ability to make connections to other sites without a persons knowledge. As Technology improves
this process will increase with social media being able to Track store and compile our online information selections.
Romessia,
Agreed, a set of guidelines should definately be reviewed, agreed upon, and implimented in class before venturing into social media learning. Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
I feel that the instructor and student could be on a social media but there must be some ground rules and there must be professionalism on both parts
Irwin,
Yes, Facebook is quite different from the other outlets mentioned here and I agree, a separate account for school and work should be set up when using this social media tool. When studying sociology for example, Facebook is a gold mine; it is knowing when and if it is appropriate that is key. LinkedIn on the other hand is a fantastic tool for all students and future graduates and has the potential to increase placement rates as well as your institutions visibility in the field.
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
Roberto,
I understand your hesitation and agree a line must be drawn when it comes to sharing tidbits from our personal lives with students. You may want to think of setting up a Twitter account as being analogous to a news feed you may subscribe to through Yahoo or Google. Many professionals in the field leverage Twitter to grow their brand and share ideas with peers and interested consumers of their products and services. As an educator, this is something you do each time you step into a classroom. Sending out little chunks of knowledge between class sessions is a great way to keep students actively engaged outside of the classroom. Doing what you feel most comfortable with is key to incorporating new teaching and learning techniques.
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
I dont like the idea of connecting social media with the students, I think that is going to delete the line between instructors and students.
I do think that social media outlets should be utilized by students and instructors, with some obvious caveats. Linkedin, Twitter, and Skype can be useful for sharing information within an education environment, as described in this course. Linkedin provides great networking opportunities. Twitter and Skype are a wonderful way to share information remotely. Sites such as Facebook are, perhaps, inappropriate for instructors and students to make connections, unless a specific class site is created on Facebook.
Tina,
Thank you for your post to the forum. You bring up a good point, when using social media tools in the classroom posts should be closely monitored because there is the risk students will not practice proper internet etiquette. I also believe separate accounts are in order for both the learner and the facilitator, keeping the learning environment professional and appropriate at all times. Best wishes for continued success in your classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
Misuse of Social Media can deteriorate the professional relationship between instructor and student. I think using social media sites can benefit the student if you keep your personal and student relationships seperate. Creating a seperate account for the class will keep information exchanged class oriented. The student is already familiar with social media, so it is a way to level with them and get them involved. Misuse of this type of technology could make relationships with students too friendly and the student may lack the authoritative respect necessary in the classroom.
