5-4- Social Networking

Millions of people use social networking each day. From following your favorite stars on Twitter, catching up with friends on Facebook, posting your resume on LinkedIn, uploading photos to Flickr or Picasa, or recording a vlog for YouTube, social networking has quickly intertwined its way in our society. However, not all places have been quick to embrace social networking. Schools are one of these institutions that have been slow to allow social networking.  The question is, should we tap into the many potential benefits of social networking by allowing it use in schools?

Many schools discourage the use of social networking tools due to concerns about exposing students to objectionable content. Some districts also have concerns over boundary issues between student-teacher interactions when using social media due to past scandals. Even though numerous schools filter or block many of the social networking websites because of these reasons, other schools have embraced social networking. Researchers at the University of Minnesota have found that when students use social networking sites they “are actually practicing the kinds of 21st-century skills we want them to develop to be successful today…  students are developing a positive attitude towards using technology systems, editing and customizing content, and thinking about online design and layout. They're also sharing creative original work like poetry and film, and practicing safe and responsible use of information and technology. The Web sites offer tremendous educational potential. By using social media in the classroom itself, teachers can also gain insight into student learning. Nick Pandolfo states that the “data collected by video games and social media sites can be provided, sometimes in real time, to teachers who can then use it to better understand their students and tailor instruction to meet individual needs.”  For example, a teacher could pose a simple question over Twitter and be able to determine from the student replies who might have a good understanding the lesson and who may need more support. ." Joel Gagne sees other potential benefits to school districts as low cost way to increase engagement and accountability to the community by posting events, budgets, policy campaigns, etc.

While there are legitimate reasons to block social media, I feel that schools can no longer afford to ignore social media entirely. Our job is still to prepare students for the future. Social networking is  one of the many  21^st-century tools  students will productively use when they enter the workforce. In the same way that we do not let unlicensed drivers drive hazardous materials down the highway, we need to provide the proper training in digital citizenship and responsible use for students before they are allowed to use these tools. It would probably not be very productive to allow complete access without proper training have students would quickly become distracted and not use the tool for the intended use. Kristen Wideen has taught her first graders to use social media as a tool for learning and not just something you might use for entertainment. This is not something that might be completed overnight, the procedures may have to be modeled and practiced for over time. In addition to showing and teaching students how to responsibly use these tools, we should also inform students of the potential dangers and consequences of their misuse. By teaching this at a young age we might also help students avoid potential trouble in the future.

After initially blocking almost all social networking tools, my district is now slowly to allowing limited access for teachers to use websites such Twitter and YouTube, but continues to filter many other websites and tools. I do hope that as teachers become more informed and trained on how teach students Internet responsibility and acceptable use, that our district will allow access to many more these of these tools. If teachers are provided with this training the overall potential benefits far outweighs the negatives of using social media in the classroom.