Wrapping Up…
May 4, 2008
9. Check out this debate about social networking. Read at least three statements (Propositions/Rebuttals) Share your thoughts and opinions and tie in any other relevant support from previous blog posts.
10. In conclusion, after exploring the components of social networking, have your views changed or have they been reinforced? What changed your views or what reinforced them specifically? Have you found any sites along your exploration that you would like to share with us?
It’s been great reading all of your responses. Thank you all for making this blog moderation a pleasurable experience!
Krystina
I appreciate what this speaker said: “Are social networks the best platforms for enduring ideas? Will they prepare the next generation for dilemmas awaiting them in physical space rather than cyberspace—including oil depletion, pandemics and global warming—all of which require interpersonal interaction with a keen knowledge of locality? Will learners possess a sufficient fact base to address problems in their home towns when the digitised media give the audience what it wants rather than what it needs?”
I think that is a great point. While social networking can bring about great relationships that students might have never had without the sites, is it truly a need or a want? Socializing is part of growing up and it can be brutal, but there are so many more intellectual and neccesary discussions that students should be involved in. Our focus is on wacky sometimes inappropriate pictures and meeting love interests, parties, etc.or as Friedman said “Britney Spears”–all areas relevant to a teenager, but as educators we should push for more. Ideally, this blog serves for that purpose. We are conversing intellectually within our circle, but it could be expanded if we wanted to.
How much value is in the discussions of Myspace and Face book? Is it taking away precious time that could be used to better serve communiites, schools and the greater society?
I like how the website said, “And even if it’s not happening in schools, learning is about far more than what happens behind the school gate.” I agree with this statement. I think that social networking can be a good thing. This blog moderation made me realize that social networking can be used for much more than I previously thought. I would say that it actually changed my views and made them more positive. I especailly like the site I shared in the one of the other posts about an educational social networking site being used in schools and colleges today. One website I found says that some social networking sites can be “a platform to encourage, support and promote good causes, campaigns and charities.” Here is the website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/nov/26/mondaymediasection.facebook
I think that this is also a great benefit to these sites. Have any of you joined or group on a social networking site that supports a cause?
In the opposition’s rebuttal, it states, “In adopting these technologies, educators were promised a global village. Instead we inherited a global mall with generations of learners understanding technology only as consumers in an era of consumption at the root of social problems everywhere.” I think this statement is crucial because it demonstrates how something educational can easily be turned into entertainment. Along with what Pat said, as teachers, we should be focusing more on having intellectual conversations in our class rather than just socializing. People assume these technologies are beneficial to education without realizing that they are so often used to just talk about who went to the party last night. Teens are getting sucked into this cyber world, without even realizing it, and now we have to try and turn everything around. Like I said in a previous comment, social networks are great for keeping in touch with long distant friends, but attempting to parallel it with education seems unreasonable.
After learning about social networking through this blog, my negative ideas of this have only heightened. To be more specific, I love facebook, but I do not see how that, or any other site, could offer benefits to education. I love the idea of integrating technology into the class room and I’m excited to actually do it, but I think I will stick to blogs and wikis. Although I have a negative perspective of social networking, it was interesting to learn more about it, since I have never given it much thought.
The main proposition I located was:
Proposition: The house believes that social networking technologies will bring large [positive] changes to educational methods, in and out of the classroom.
And I am not sure how this is a debate? Obviously, technology is going to make some major (and needed) changes in the classroom. But, I think that as we change and move forward with technologies, this change is going to be crucial and necessary. With so many technology oriented options to teach these days, I think that we should embrace the change and move forward with technology in the classroom.
In conclusion, I have to agree with Ashley in saying that, although we surely need technology in the classroom, I am not sure social networking is the way to go. It just seems to have too many current dangers and opportunities to find trouble. I think Ash is right in saying that blogs and wikis are a safer alternative. However, I love the aspect of connecting students with students from around the world. I wish that we had that option when I was a student, I think it would of been extremely enjoyable.
After exploring social networking a bit more, as Ashley said, I’ll stick to blogs and wikis. They seem to be much more educationally based, plus the sharing of personal information seems to be kept to a minimum. I think that when used correctly social networking can be a great way for friends and family to keep in touch or for people to find others that share the same interests in as them. What reinforced my view that myspace or facebook shouldn’t be used in the classroom was the discussion about the information that users have posted and the consequences from them. I think seeing the different types of stories and situations mentioned, keeping our classroom technology to a form where pictures and information is kept minimal and for an educational purpose, as teachers we’ll be able to avoid possible problems that could stop us from using this technology altogether. Maybe there will one day be a “cleaner educational” social network for a classroom purpose set up that we might be able to utilize in the future.
After exploring all of my options in the social networking world, I think that I may not be the type of person who can fully indulge in it. I have a facebook account and really enjoy using it from time to time but I don’t see myself using many other forms of social networking. As far as the classroom goes I will most definitely introduce and utilize blogging and podcasting especially. I think that they can bring great aspects to the classroom and I really enjoyed working with them this semester. I think that in order to keep our students engaged we must incorporate the internet.