Social Media: A Risky Business?

Despite all the excitement swirling around the incorporation of technology and social media in the classroom, many still feel intimidated by the risks it poses not only to students, but also to the teachers who implement it. The protection and privacy of students is a hot topic issue when it comes to using social media, and a valid one at that. How can we open up our classrooms to the world, without letting too much of that big bad world in? As teacher and blogger Katherine Mulski puts it “[the internet] also opens up a big can of worms when it comes to teaching our students the appropriate measures to ensure safety, security, and knowledge of copywrite. Simply put, kids these days love to over share, and the Internet, provides the best forum for this.”  On the other hand, the issue is becoming more and more about protecting the students from each other, rather than the dangers lurking in cyberspace. Between cyber bullying, online predators, and un-censored content, what’s a teacher to do?

Since it’s not possible to shut out social media and the internet all together, in my view, the best solution is proactive: intense education about using the internet responsibly and about digital citizenship. Although many schools already have these types of programs in place, from what I’ve observed they are often not enough to properly educate youth on the potential risks of irresponsible social media use. Often times, they take the form of isolated special education classes that occur once a semester or year, and often employ scare tactics in the hopes that students will wise up. It is my experience that this does not happen. What I think would be more beneficial to students is continuous and integrated social media/internet education in ALL their classes. By taking this holistic and distributed approach, I believe that students will come to understand the lasting permanence of their “digital tattoo” and will be more interested in building a positive “online brand” rather than their egos and high school reputations. 

For those teachers who still feel a little leery about implementing social media in the classroom, there are still options for you. Sites such as Edmodo and Schoology incorporate the look and feel of a Facebook page, only through an educational lens, and the best part is that they are completely secure and private. Edmodo even allows teachers to moderate student posts to ensure against bullying or other unwanted behaviors.

Many teachers feel that implementing social media in the classroom is taking a big leap of faith. However, if we provide our students with the appropriate tools and support they need when it comes to making choices online, I believe that our faith will remain intact.