Educators+on+FaceBook

Educators on



Facebook is a social networking website. It allows people all over the world to have a profile page and share information and pictures with friends. Faceb ook allows its members to keep their information private for only friends or display it publicly for anyone to see. People update their status to tell their friends about their life (what they are doing, any thoughts on their mind, etc.). Members can post photo albums and tag their friends that are in the picture. Facebook has rapidly become popular over the past few years. When it first began, only college students could join. A college e-mail account was required in order to sign up. However, it has changed so that now anyone who wishes to can join.
 * Description:**

Facebook also allows groups to create a public page for individuals to follow. The group can use the page for holding discussions, keeping its members informed on news and events, and posting pictures.

Facebook can be very beneficial for schools. Individual classes, schools, or counties could set up a Facebook page to keep parents and students informed as to what's going on at school. They could make events and also post important announcements. It could allow parents to communicate with faculty members and other parents. Teachers could post important homework assignments and test dates for students and parents to see.
 * What is the impact of this issue on K-12 schools, educators, and students?**

Facebook also has a negative impact on schools. Teachers who post inappropriate statuses and/or pictures could be viewed as a negative role model for students. If they do not keep their page private, students could see these things and think negatively of their teachers. If teachers become friends with their students and the teacher sees the student doing illegal/inappropriate things, the teacher could be reprimanded for not reporting these incidences. Also, teachers should not become friends with their students because they should remain on a professional level with their students rather than a personal level.

Grades 5-12 Facebook could be used a discussion board for students grade five through twelve. The teacher could set up a professional page for her class and allow the students to join the page. Students could ask homework questions or begin other discussions with fellow classmates. This could be used as a Back Channel type activity in class, as well. While the teacher is instructing, the students could have the Facebook page open and be involved in a discussion about the topic at hand.
 * Integrating this topic into Daily Instruction:**

Another activity for this age group is to have the students follow a news group (The Baltimore Sun, ABC News, etc.). The student could read this group's updates and create a presentation for the class on any news stories this group has posted.


 * Facebook Quiz Questions:**

media type="custom" key="9195910"

Facebook [|100 ways to use fb in a classroom] (Post any references cited here)
 * Additional Links:**
 * References:**