facebook in the classroom…

Potential Pros and Cons of employing Facebook in the Cassroom…

As most of my skills and experience have been with preschool and the lower level elementary students much of the technology skills learned in this class do not directly relate to my students. I see them more useful with upper elementary, where students are just beginning to learn to use e-mail, middle school and high school students. Again, as I plan to teach kindergarten through second grade facebook is a non issue, however, for the purpose of this assignment, I will write from the point of view of a High School teacher

Facebook is a wonderful tool and means to keep in contact and share photos with old friends. However when used in the classroom there are wonderful attributes and there are dangers, and if not properly warned, students at a young age can make mistakes on the internet that can permanently damage their person and reputations professionally. As for the attributes, harnessing an aspect of media that students already like and use can have a wonderful spin off. When students are treated well, their brains create feel good chemicals and are at ease in the classroom (Jenson, 2008 ), and thus, as most educators have experienced, learning flows more easy. On the contrary, teenagers often do not make well thought out decisions. As Jenson writes, teenage brains are not fully developed, especially the frontal lobes and a system of mirror neurons that often fire in a copy-cat behavioral pattern without proper analysis of the action. In other words, teenagers are more likely to copy in appropriate actions (that are found on the internet and cyber social networks like facebook) without proper analysis of the possible outcomes of their actions where an adult may see the same action, maybe laugh at the thought, but nonetheless not actually recreating or take part in the action.

In short, as discussed in class, Facebook can be a wonderful tool or open forum for students to discuss educational topics. However, if it is to be used, it should be introduced with a discussion around the possible ramifications if poor choices are made. In addition, a parent lesion or waver should go home to notify and gain parent consent to use a social network like facebook in an academic setting. Some parents may still be hesitant about facebook and need to be educated on how facebook can be beneficial in an academic setting.