AT: Week 4 - Thoughts on Social Networking

What is your personal perspective on utilizing social networking sites (such as facebook) for education? Do the benefits outweigh the risks?

I was at first very wary. I feel as a teacher I have to have a strong dichotomy between personal and public life (like a celebrity). Mostly because  my adult friends would possibly also be connected to my students through these social networking sites and they don't feel the same need for propriety in their jobs surrounded by adults as I do as a teacher surrounded by adolescents (and through extension, their parents.) I can't control what friends post about me, and although I like to think I conduct myself properly at all times, things can be taken out of context or I can be associated with behaviors I did not participate in or even witness. SO -- how did I get over this? I start a Ms. Ridlen version of anything I used for school. That has been great. I worry so much more less about things like that, and I can compartmentalize my socializing.

That being said, my security settings on FB are much higher / stronger / impenetrable for my personal account and I will probably have to find you before you could find me. Email me if you wanna be my friend. :)

Taking away those fears, for me the benefits have far outweighed the risks. I also use edmodo (does that count as 'social' networking if it is really academic networking?). I want to use that more, but haven't been able to investigate it much yet. I'm getting far and away from any type of art stuff that is paper/pencil and going towards much more individualized experience based teaching. I keep in touch with former students on FB, colleagues, and even a few bosses. I use class parrot to send student reminder texts for class, students email me with questions from their phones at all hours (guess that means I am gonna have to start checking that email from home - boo - although I like being turned to), we use pinterest for visuals and videos. I feel like I am just starting to scratch the surface.