Opinion About Social Media

1. Is there a need to regulate or mandate teachers’ social network profiles whether they are private or not?

There is a need to regulate or mandate teachers’ social network profiles whether they are private or not. I think these channels need to be as free as possible to allow exchanges of ideas and connections between like-minded individuals. However, as always there are those who will take advantage of the system, content should be a consideration. There are provisions for this on the social network in general. I think those sorts of regulations should extend to social media. These become protection to our students’ privacy.

2. Is it appropriate for students to befriend their teachers and vice-versa?

It is appropriate for students to befriend their teachers and vice-versa. I think it’s a more comfortable equation for the students as most cannot associate with the age old teacher concept maybe. It’s hilarious to see students sending friend requests on social networking sites to the teachers and commenting on their wall on random things. They even send happy teachers day messages on their mobiles and the teacher patiently replies to each one of them.

3. Should contact between teachers and students be prohobited or encouraged?

Contact between teachers and students should be encouraged. Frequent teacher-student contact in and out of classes is the most important factor in student motivation and involvement. Teacher concern helps students get through rough times and keep on working. Knowing teachers and school members well enhances students' intellectual commitment and encourages them to think about their own values and future plans.

4. Does age and grade level of students play a role?

Age and grade level of students play a role while the communication process involves all the key players, the greater role students are given in this process, the richer information that is shared. Broadly, the importance of the internet in the lives of children and young people increases not only as they grow older, but also with the time they spend using the technology.

While every child is different in terms of how much time they claim to spend on the internet, it is possible to identify a broad pattern from the research conducted. Children aged eight to nine years had little exposure to the internet at school and predominantly used the medium at home for entertainment. Children aged 10 to 12 years appeared to have greater exposure and familiarity with the internet as a source of information as well as of entertainment. Use of the internet becomes a more prominent part of a child’s life once they begin high school. Younger teenagers (aged 13 to 15) are expected to make almost daily use of the internet for school activities. It is in the young teenage years that the internet also begins to have a role in their social environment. One of the main drivers for increased internet use at this age is the transition from primary school to high school. It is at this time that their social world changes, from the small circle of the friends they have at primary school to an expanded circle of high school friends. Older teenagers (aged 15 to 17) are required to be adept at using the internet as an information source and means of communication for school. (www.acma.gov.au/.../click_and_connect-01_qualitative_report.doc)

5. What are the legal implications for inappropriate content on teachers’ profiles/pages?

Maybe no legal implications for inappropriate content on teachers’ profiles/pages. Teaching is not just a job. Teachers can have a more powerful influence on their students than even parents. I am something different and just as important, and I respect that. We are models, whether we want to be or not.

6. Do we need to raise and educate our teachers on the the issue of “appropriate” content or do we assume that ALL of them are professionals and should know what is appropriate?

We need to raise and educate our teachers on the the issue of appropriate content and we assume that all of them are professionals and should know what is appropriate. The use of social networks by law students may have pedagogical and social benefits. For example, social networking may be a medium for collaborative learning beyond the time and space constraints of the classroom. Social networking may be a way to harness student engagement; because students are already actively engaged in social networks like Facebook, the potential exists to channel that engagement into collaborative learning. Social networking may also provide the benefit of social value – isolated students stay connected with family, friends, and fellow students; make new connections by finding roommates, networking with lawyers and alumni; and expand their networks by connecting to new people with similar interests.

7. If you are “friends” with your students and you see them post inappropriate things, are you required to report it? Can you be their friend and their police?

If I’m “friends” with my students and I see them post inappropriate things, I am not too worried about students posting inappropriately. They have other outlets for rude behavior that will not be monitored by a teacher. If a student writes something inappropriate, I will deal with it the same way I would deal with the same words in a note or an essay. If someone does something wrong, they will be dealt with, but I don’t think that is a reason to avoid using social media. And if they know I am going to see what they have done, they will do what I ask and save the warning letter for an unsupervised moment.

8. What are the legal/ethical implications of being friends with your students?

I think no legal implication of being friends with our students. A great way to oversee students’ usage is to “friend” our student on the sites they frequent and periodically monitor what’s going on. Law students are adults who make their own decisions, but with this freedom comes responsibility to be aware of the implications of the use of social networks and to comply with any guidelines regarding its use.

9. Please give some opinions about using Edmodo in yours math classroom.

Edmodo has the advantage of being similar to Facebook, which means that it is relatively easy for staff and students to learn to use, and its familiarity means that students enjoy using it. Another important consideration is that it is free. Edmodo differs from Facebook largely because it is an educational networking site and is not social.

It is therefore more serious than Facebook and much more appropriate to use in an educational context, especially with adult learners. In Edmodo, tutors can upload links from Word and PowerPoint as well as Internet links, and can set and grade assignments. As with Schoolnotes, this new site, Edmodo.com allows teachers to post assignments and notices as well as attach files or links that may be needed by students. It is intended to inform parents about homework assignments, upcoming tests, quizzes and projects. It is NOT intended to replace the daily recording of homework assignments in an assignment notebook by students.