Social media is a diverse and exciting phenomenon. The explosion of the Internet over the past few years has come with fascinating new tools. Instant messaging and Facebook allow us to communicate nigh-instantly with each other, blogging and Twitter allow us to share bot the minutiae of daily life and the overarching sweep of our existence, and social bookmarking sites like delicious and Digg allow us to share the things that fascinate us.
As personal tools and recreational devices, I think that the abovementioned are a lot of fun. However, I have a bit of a problem with them being used in the educational sphere. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe that study and education are better served by the book in the library as opposed to the book of the face (Facebook). From an aesthetic viewpoint alone, I find that books are vastly superior to internet articles, and I would much rather talk to my professor face to face than email back and forth.
Besides personal preference, I believe that there are other reasons that using social media for educational purposes isn't the best idea. We've all heard tell of the employees who have been fired for having irreverent, crude, or "amoral" material on their Facebook or Myspace page. I'm not sure if this was the correct course of action or not. To me, social networking sites like Facebook are just that--social sites where friends share information and opinions about their lives. Therefore, I feel that teachers should exercise caution when using social networking sites for classwork.
Another reason that I'm wary about using things like Twitter and blogs for classwork is how distracting the Internet can be. With the wealth of information and services that the Web holds, it can be easy to be distracted from the task at hand. Even now, as I'm finishing this post, I find myself distracted by Facebook and Hulu (must resist temptation!!)
Don't get me wrong--I do love the Internet. I use it to find information, news, and entertainment. But I also think that there are a lot more good things to say about traditional teaching--with textbooks, handouts, and assignments all on real, tree-born paper--than there are about all this teaching with technology. But I could be wrong. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned.
Mengapa Hak Pencetakan Uang Dikuasai Oleh Negara
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[image: Mengapa hak pencetakan uang dikuasai oleh negara]
Mengapa hak pencetakan uang dikuasai oleh negara
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1 year ago
You make some valid points and I'll be interested in whether and how your views change as the semester progresses. I can't prevent on-line distractions any more than I can tell you not to get sidetracked reading the newspaper in the library. Learning to prioritize and focus is an integral part of our personal and professional development.
ReplyDeleteMany people, young and old, do foolish and stupid things. The stakes grow higher when those activities are memorialized and published on-line, for all to see, for all time. This is your chance to publish content, writings and ideas that advance YOUR personal 'brand' in a positive way, showing future employers how smart you are!
By the way, I, too, prefer hard-copy books and newspapers over their electronic counterparts.