Group+Discussion


 * Group Discussion Page **

Hannah Even though social networking is one of the most effective ways to communicate with others, there are many factors that can put students in danger. Students' social lives and identities can become jeopardized, inappropriate status updates and other postings can possibly get students fired or demoted from their jobs, and sexual predators have the ability to get into contact with students and lure them into danger (Fleming, 2008). Teachers should be aware of risks and regulations of social networking sites before they allow the use of it in their classrooms. Some district officials are concerned that allowing the use of social networking sites may lead to cyberbulling (David, 2010).
 * Social Networking and Privacy and Safety:**

Sarah Hannah I found all of what you mentioned in my research regarding privacy and safety issues. It is very understandable why districts are concerned with allowing social networks in schools, but it would also be upsetting if districts banned the use of social networks from school settings. Instead of banning the use of social networks educators, parents and school officials need to learn and understand the sites, then create rules or some sort of policy for students to follow. Engaging the students in creating a policy for proper online usage seems like it may help students to enforce and follow the policy, while staying safe and engaging in proper cyber ethics (Endicatt-Popvsky, 2009)

Lisa Hannah and Sarah, although I didn't find the same issues that both of you discussed above since my research is on gender, I did find a difference in how boy and girls view social networking and the internet. Boys see it as a tool that can be used to finish a task, where girls tend to see it more as an extracurricular activity. Sarah, I found that girls are more likely to be put in a dangerous situation while using the internet than are boys.

Veronica Because my focus is on teens, I too found some of the same issues as you, Hannah. Students are so naive when it comes to the internet and they are easy targets for predators. On the other hand, what I'm also finding out is that students who would normally be outcast because they are shy or uninvolved in school activities have now found a way to make connections with others and build their social capital. Because these students are inept at face-to-face interaction, computer-mediated communication is the only way they can start and maintain relationships and social networking provides this tool.

Lisa Veronica, I also saw some of the same findings in my research but I found that girls are better at using social networks and the internet for communication purposes which then leads to relationships and a "life" online. However, I did not so much see the same results for boys. I mostly saw that boys use it for explorative purposes and as more of fun "tool." They were able to research more deeply than girls, but they were unable to make real connections that require communication skills. I guess they were less emotionally attached compared to the girls.

Evelin Sarah, I like the idea you present about educating parents and educators about the sites, and looking at the positive and negative effects it would have in an educational setting. Only then could they make an educated decision about how the site could be used. I think by involving the students in creating a policy is a great idea to help the students enforce and follow the policy. As far as to how each gender uses social networking, a part of that I think can be based on their natural inclinations. Girls are more interrelational and boys are more active and physical. Its obvious from the research you've found that this has been seen. But if this is all they know, then this is what can be expected. I think that our job is to introduce to students different ways to use the internet and social networking sites.

Evelin Although my research cites mostly the educational implications I made sure to mention that there are actions being taken at the federal level to protect children. The Children's Internet Protection Act requires K-12 schools and libraries to use internet filters to protect children from harmful online content. My question is how much filtration is too much. Kauchak and Eggen (2011) from Chapter 9, The School Curriculum in an Era of Standards and Accountability, in Curriculum Theory and Development: Connections to Issues and Practice, the authors discuss the controversy over internet censorship. Even though free speech advocates believe that filtering is unconstitutional the CIPA was found to be constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court, three years after it was signed into law. What I found most interesting is that with filters preventing access to the five broad categories, censorship results in the exclusion of valuable, educational resources. Kauchak and Eggen give and example of the category, sex. one screen actually banned information on breast cancer. On the other hand, how many more other sites will pop up with similar information on breast cancer though. Food for thought.
 * Children & the Internet and Privacy & Safety**

Sarah Evelin I came across this issue while doing my research. Hooft (2007) explains how many schools have also banned the use of social networks. Hooft argues that instead of banning these networks and websites it is important for educators to teach students the ethical, cultural and societal issues that relate to social networks and the internet. I can see why there are filters put up by schools, and I think they are a good idea but are the schools filtering too much? Also something else to consider is now with smart phones students can pretty much access any information they want at anytime of the day.

Veronica Evelin, I found some of the same information as you because I'm dealing with teens and the internet. However, I think with teens the issues are slightly different. Sarah, I too question whether schools filter too much. I have found that the more something is "banned" or not allowed, the more interest they have in it. Rather than trying keep the students away from certain sites, I think it's important to teach them how to surf the web safely and intelligently.

Lisa To everyone, I understand that we need to protect our students, but I definitely think we filter too much and sometimes for the wrong reasons. Studies show that allowing students to use social networking and other forms of technology in school can in fact increase motivation. It all depends on how we filter the tools that we use. Rather than completely banning these tools, we need to form better guidelines and safety structures. Sarah, the first step is always in education. If everyone is educated on internet privacy and safety then there would not be as much of a need for all of these filters and restrictions.

Hannah To Lisa, I completely agree with you. Just because there are some cons that go along with using the internet does not mean that students should be restricted from it. Providing the skills to avoid the dangers of the internet is the best way to go about it. I believe that acquiring this skill can be applied at home as well, helping students make proper decisions when using the internet.

Hannah Hey Lisa, I thought it was interesting that you found that boys saw social networking and the internet as a tool while girls used it to finish a task. It makes me question how social networking affects the learning of boys versus girls. Even if the boys view social networking and the internet as a tool, would that mean that the boys would achieve academically more than the girls? In a research conducted by Smith et al. (2006), it was found that more girls were victims to cyberbullying than boys were. I am curious as to know why girls are more prone to being cyberbullied more than boys are.
 * Social Networking and Gender:**

Sarah Hannah and Lisa. I did not find anything in my research about girls being victims to cyberbullying more than girls. I have found research that states girls do use the computers more for social networking purposes compared boys, so I can see why girls are victims of cyberbullying more than boys. In my research I found a great article geared towards teens that gives really good advice on topics that parents can talk to their teens about to help prevent them from becoming victims on the internet. It is from a school counselors point of view, but great for all users of the internet. I think an overall theme we are seeing is how social networking and safety and privacy issues relate to one another. Before students start using social networking tools, it is really important that teachers and parents teach them how to be safe and keep information private while online.

Veronica I found some information on girls being cyberbullied more often as well. It seems that because girls tend to have lower self-esteem than boys, they are easier targets for bullies. This is especially true of teenage girls because those are the years in which self-esteem drops. When a teen girl is vulnerable, other teens know this and often prey on them as victims. It's really sad what can happen to youngsters as a result of cyberbullying.

Lisa Hannah, boys look at it as a "tool" but they like tools, and therefore if they are allowed to use any form of technology for academic purposes pr recreational purposes then they are happy and they enjoy it, but girls see it as a chore and something that they have to use to complete a task academically. They ONLY like it for recreational purposes compared to boys. If you look at my research internet affects girls academically because they are more likely to miss school because of the internet than are boys, and that would lead to lower achievement. It suggested that if we allow for some social networking or use of technology for non-acadmic purposes in school that it might increase attendance and therefore increase motivation. Sarah, Hannah and Veronica, I first heard that girls are cyber-bullied than boys from my principal. He gave us an article to read and I wish I still had it, but it definitely discussed this as an issue for girls more than for boys. If you look at my research, it shows that girls are better at communicating on the internet than are boys, who use it for explorative purposes, and I think that the communication that girls engage in on the internet is more emotionally involved which makes them more succeptible to bullying on the net.

Evelin Its interesting to see the relationships that are building between genders through the internet. I once did a research paper on the differences on how boys and girls express their aggression. I was interested in this topic after having read "Odd Girl Out" by Rachel Simmons. Boys are more likely to express themselves overtly, using physical violence, where as girls are more commonly used expressing relational aggression. this type of aggression is caused through damage to relationships or social status within a group rather than by means of actual or threatened physical violence. This of course I learned not too long ago, but long enough where social networking had yet made it's impact. to answer your question Hannah, one reason, which was already stated by Sarah, that girls use the computer for social networking more than boys. Another reason that I can think of is that social networking, is just another media for girls to express their relational aggression.