Be Safe, Be Smart, Be Professional

Facebook and other social media sites are opening new exciting methods of teaching and providing genuine learning experiences. But please Please PLEASE Be Safe, Be Smart, Be Professional. New research "warns teachers not to "friend" pupils on Facebook amid concerns over the blurring of boundaries between school staff's professional and private lives." Facebook has become the most common social media platform however, with it comes several private features that can raise problems with communication between students and teachers on an inappropriate level again blurring the lines. Facebook was never intended to be used in the educational setting and never anticipated the technological age we are evolving in. I would say that if a teacher wants to use a social media platform, research them and try to use one specifically intended for education. One such site I am aware of is Edmodo but again look at a lot of sites, mess around with them, pilot them with a small group, and choose the best one for you and your students. As the teacher you want the passing of information to be as topical as possible and the security settings to be strict and tight. This is a large step in the creation of cyber students, policies must be in place and followed, and students must be disciplined and held accountable for actions online. Cyber-bullying will occur we must be ready and be able to take action against this. As the article points out avoid site like Formspring at all cost. Formspring allows people to post questions and receive comments as answers. This is not a bad idea as a teaching tool however, it is anonymous and that allows students the ability to bully free of retribution. 


In conclusion, we must be open to new technology, we must reach high and pull our students along, but we must remain guarded against common pitfalls, learn from others mistakes, and create cyber-students that are safe and respectful. So please don't be scared just Be Safe, Be Smart, and Be Professional.