Week Three: Facebook Privacy & Applications; Ning

Week Three saw some passionate discussions!

Discussion One: Facebook Privacy
The issue of Facebook privacy and the teacher who was fired for a thoughtless post to a Friend on Facebook brought out vehemence and strong statements of opinion and values. The general consensus was that the teacher was foolish,unprofessional, and naive. The school system was harsh, probably because of the public eye (it was a television expose piece on educators using Facebook). However, the school system had no policies covering internet social networking systems, so I believe that the teacher's lawyer will probably see her reinstated...if she wishes to go back there. The lesson for all educators is that the Internet is not private. No one should post anything they wouldn't put in front of someone they respect whose opinion matters (some suggested a pastor). Many classmates addressed the fact that, as educators, we are held up as role models even in our private lives - fair or unfair as that may seem. We are public figures. Some addressed the issue of an employer determining what we do in our private time.

Only one or two touched upon it, but I really feel that everyone needs to use good judgment in our conduct - public and private. We tend to become lazy in the way we speak and act around those we consider friends or Friends. Good manners, courtesy, self-control, and self-discipline went out of style or at least favor in the Seventies. We need to go back to a more formal time in which we show more respect to one another...without all of the chauvinism, racism, and class schisms this time!

Discussion Post Two:  Facebook Applications
The second Discussion Post covered our exploration into Facebook applications. As I shamefacedly admitted in a response, I have become so rabidly against reading sidebar ads that I had not examined closely the Facebook page as it has evolved over the last year and a half that I have had an account. I never looked a the tab marked "Facebook Applications." Upon being invited to participate in a game, and receiving a request to allow the application access to my profile information, I immediately Canceled and have Ignored all subsequent requests. When following my assignment instructions, I looked at the applications then Browsed the entire list of applications.

What I found changed my mind altogether. It is not simply a list of time-wasting games and frivolous "look at me" venues. There are a great number of educational and worthwhile social applications available there. I critiqued "I Remember,"Visual Bookshelf," and "Cities I've Visited." The application not found there that I proposed is one for a Grammar Question Board with a grammar game as well. There are many word games out there but none for proper grammar - one of my passions.

Learning Activity:  Ning Account

The Learning Activity for this week was to create a Ning account and explore it's application to education or business. I had already created a Ning account during our Week One exploration of learning tools. The topic-centered social network group I created was "Elephant Statue Lovers." I created another group for this class and worked on the page a little. There will be more development in Week 4's Learning Activity. Finally, I found where the Wiki begun last week was mentioned again. We are to "build upon (our) Ning, Facebook, and PBWorks acounts by building (our) own Ning class, (our own)Facebook class, and (our own) PBWork class. I expect to see many questions in the Questions About the Course forum on the Discussion Board as that sentence in the instructions gives very little information about the expectations for the "Class" we are to create.

What I Learned
 I learned that there is a lot more to Facebook than I'd assumed.  I am learning how to make a web-course on PBWorks.  It's fun stuff and exactly what I'd hoped to learn from this program.  There is so much out there!  It's overwhelming. 

As per usual in this course, I'm full of doubts and concerns as to exactly what to do (in the Learning Activity for Week 4).  Truly wish there were more instructional support, a more visible pedagogical agent!  Knowing that our instructor is "there" for us doesn't help much when our questions elicit only responses that are brief & cryptic to the point of appearing computer-generated. (You will do this...").
I'm starting to wonder if the instructors aren't encouraged to do it that way - the test the course's ability to run itself.  Wouldn't it be awesome to be greeted at graduation with the information that our classes were administered by an AI?!  You never know.....!