Thing #22- Facebook

My Facebook Page

I am a Facebook guru. Really, I am! :) I use Facebook often to keep up with family and friends and reconnect with old friends.

I think it is important to for educators to know how these sites work because MOST of our students HAVE THEM! It is also critical to teach students that anything they post on the Internet can be seen by anyone around the world. It is an amazing and scary thought. The networking possibilities are endless, but students especially should be careful about what they are telling everyone.

Tammy brings up an awesome point- employers use social networking sites to get background information on potential candidates before hiring, and many of them may use it to check on their employees. It is important to be professional not only in the workplace, but on our social networking profiles! It is all for fun and games, but a quick reminder that employers can see your information along with friends and family members can keep you out of trouble!

I do think there could be educational uses for social networking tools like Facebook. For example, creating a Facebook page for your classes or study tips. However, as educators we must be extremely careful that we don't cross the line between professional/teacher and "friend" with our students when it comes to social networking sites. It is definitely something to think about!