Journal 3: “Education and the Social Web: Connective Learning and the Commercial Imperative”

Friesen, N. (2010, December 6). Retrieved http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3149/2718

In this day and age everything seems to be at the touch of our fingertips. We are the generation in the Age of Technology- or at least that's what I like to think of it. It's no surprise to me that this is now making its way through education and breaking barriers in a lot of curricula out there. We are now seeing iPads in classrooms, blogs used for discussion and project based curricula,  polls that are live-streamed in the classroom with cell phones, classroom Facebook pages and so much more! The sky is the limit when it comes to technology and social media in specific. 

As I read this article I had to read Steve Greenburg's statement a few times so that it could sink in: "You are not Facebook's customer. You are the product that they sell to their real customers-advertisers. Forget this at your peril." Friesen has some great points, although, in the end I am all for technology and the social web in the education realm. I never quite thought about this when it came to integrating technology in my classroom, to tell you the truth it never even crossed my mind. I've always noticed the advertisement banners on the right side of my Facebook page and in the back of my mind I figured it was advertisers gaining my interest through web searches I've made. It makes perfect sense, they want you to click on it! It's almost like Pandora for advertisers, they "know" what I like. In all honesty, it is quite alarming to see how much they know about your personal information. Something just as simple as the "like" button and that ever so desired "dislike" button has advertisers written all over it. Those in advertisement benefit from the all of the "likes" and would definitely be at a disadvantage if the "dislike" button would be created (it never will) because that is considered negative feedback or criticism for them.

Despite some of Friesen's good points, it wouldn't stop me from using the social web as well as other technological advancements. The positives outweigh the negatives in my world of P.E. as well as the other subjects in school. Through this type of technology I can open a direct line of communication with my students in hopes that they will get more and more stimulation in the cognitive domain- something that I don't always get to in my lessons. It is a way to come into contact with those few students that may be too shy to answer or ask questions in front of their peers. Also, my lower skilled students can benefit from looking at videos of themselves and answering questions about their technique and skill level. The possibilities are endless, and I am very excited to take this on and bring it into my class!

Question #1: How can I keep my students safe when using the social web or the web in general in my Physical Education class?

A1: By following the school's internet policies:

-The student in whose name an online services account is issued is responsible for its proper use at all times. Students shall keep personal account numbers, home addresses, and all telephone numbers private. They shall use the system only under their own account number.

-Students shall use the district's system responsibly and primarily for educational purposes.

-Students shall not access post, submit, publish, or display harmful or inappropriate matter that is threatening, obscene, disruptive, or sexually explicit, or that could be construed as harassment or disparagement others based on their race/ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or political views.

-Students shall not disclose, use, or disseminate personal identification information about themselves or others when using electronic mail, chat rooms, or other forms of direct electronic communication. Students are also cautioned not to disclose such information by other means to individuals located through the internet without the permission of their parents/guardians. Personal information includes the student's name, address, telephone number, Social Security number, or other individually identifiable information.

-Copyrighted material shall not be placed on the district's computer system without the author's permission. Students shall not violate copyright laws or plagiarize documents.

-Students shall report ant security problem or misuse of the services.

Question #2: Will we ever get to a point where social networks such as Facebook do away with the advertisements?

A2: No, I truly believe that social networks such as Facebook are sitting on top of 3 gold mines one of which is advertisements. The other 2 are media (i.e. sharing and subscriptions) and shopping (i.e. rumors of a "want" button, a genius move considering the booming of social shopping networks such as Pintrest and Etsy).