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Lookjed List Archive : Phorum 5
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"My Space" and "Face Book"
Posted by: Anonymous (IP Logged)
Date: November 09, 2006 11:00PM
<HTML>Although I hope, that as mechanchim, most LOOKJED readers are familiar
with My Space and Face Book, for those who are not, I will give a brief
description. At each of these sites, teenagers (as well as adults) can
create their own page with pictures, graphics, text and more. It is a
chance to put forward the image that you would like others to have of you.
Posters (and on My Space anyone) can see the pages of other posters and
request to be their "friend", creating a virtual link, or more, between
them.
Many our students - and this is true in virtually all types of schools -
are making use of these sites. It goes without saying that the "friends"
they are making are often not of the kind we would wish them to have.
(That is to say nothing of the reports of stalkers making use of these
sites). Additionally, the language and images used on some of our
students' pages would make a sailor blush. Additionally, students can make
claims about their teachers and schools that are now put out there as
facts for anyone to see.
If you are naive enough to think that this is not an issue in your school,
sign up at Face Book and do a classmate search using your school name. You
will not be able to see your student's page, but you can see the name,
pictures and schools of their "friends". Alternatively do a search on My
Space using your community name and see what you find. On My Space, be
aware however that you might see things that are problematic, to say the
least.
What should our response be as educators? Perhaps we should have education
nights for parents, who I suspect are all too oblivious to what their
children are doing on the computer at night. This might be an opportunity
for parents to have important discussions with their children. Should
administrators try to discover who has these pages and deal with those who
have pages that are antithetical to their school community? To be sure,
our students will feel that this is their private life outside of school
and that we have no right to pry, but I feel comfortable saying that we
must not remain ignorant or on the sidelines. To do so would no different
then ignoring a party out of school where illegal substances were used.
I would very much like to hear what others are doing about this challenging
issue, or at the least, what they think should be done.</HTML>
with My Space and Face Book, for those who are not, I will give a brief
description. At each of these sites, teenagers (as well as adults) can
create their own page with pictures, graphics, text and more. It is a
chance to put forward the image that you would like others to have of you.
Posters (and on My Space anyone) can see the pages of other posters and
request to be their "friend", creating a virtual link, or more, between
them.
Many our students - and this is true in virtually all types of schools -
are making use of these sites. It goes without saying that the "friends"
they are making are often not of the kind we would wish them to have.
(That is to say nothing of the reports of stalkers making use of these
sites). Additionally, the language and images used on some of our
students' pages would make a sailor blush. Additionally, students can make
claims about their teachers and schools that are now put out there as
facts for anyone to see.
If you are naive enough to think that this is not an issue in your school,
sign up at Face Book and do a classmate search using your school name. You
will not be able to see your student's page, but you can see the name,
pictures and schools of their "friends". Alternatively do a search on My
Space using your community name and see what you find. On My Space, be
aware however that you might see things that are problematic, to say the
least.
What should our response be as educators? Perhaps we should have education
nights for parents, who I suspect are all too oblivious to what their
children are doing on the computer at night. This might be an opportunity
for parents to have important discussions with their children. Should
administrators try to discover who has these pages and deal with those who
have pages that are antithetical to their school community? To be sure,
our students will feel that this is their private life outside of school
and that we have no right to pry, but I feel comfortable saying that we
must not remain ignorant or on the sidelines. To do so would no different
then ignoring a party out of school where illegal substances were used.
I would very much like to hear what others are doing about this challenging
issue, or at the least, what they think should be done.</HTML>
"My Space" and "Face Book"