Until recently I have been a spectator in terms of participation in networks. I have been cautious, probably overly cautious, about joining and participating in various networking sites. I do not currently have my own classroom although I am keeping my fingers crossed for the fall. Articles such as the following have only served to make me more concerned about what I post online.
In retrospect, however, I think I was looking at things from the wrong angle. True, it is important to be cautious about what is posted online, but as members of a community are we not already cautious about our behavior in public? I think this distinction is one I had not quite put my finger on. An online network is a social setting. There are certain rules of etiquette followed in any social setting, especially a setting where students and parents may be present. An online social setting is no different, in this respect, than a physical setting. If we follow common sense and recall our audience when posting pictures, writing blogs, and linking sites then a social network can have great value.
Richardson and Mancabelli state that to succeed in “a networked space requires that we give back as much if not more than we receive (2011). Until this point I have only taken in information without giving anything back. One of my goals is to slowly begin to change and enrich my own learning experiences as well as those experiences I can offer to my students. Here is one of my first steps on a hopefully long and successful journey.
Val-
ReplyDeleteThe links you posted gave very real examples of how what you put out there could come back to "haunt" you. It makes me think of the section on "Network Effects" beginning on page 27 of the text. The 6th effect, students are safer (p. 29), is so important to explicitly teach kids at a young age how to be safe on the Internet. They are so used to technology and all of the different ways of communicating and keeping in touch, but they often don't understand the far-reaching negative effects these decisions might have on them.
I'm glad to see you have taken the first step in your journey! :)
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