Friday, September 23, 2011
Missouri Facebook Law and Implications for Educators Everywhere
We all know that communications technologies can be great educational tools, both inside and outside of the classroom - if and when they are used correctly and appropriately. While browsing the Huffington Post site today, I read about what is now being referred to as the Missouri Facebook Law. In part, the law is intended to keep staff members - including teachers - from contacting students privately online. While the idea certainly has its merits (after all, we all want students everywhere to be safe from the harm of any potential online predators), the law, which was passed last spring, definitely infringes upon the basic constitutional rights of teachers everywhere. (Of course, whether or not it is appropriate or ethical to be Facebook friends with their students is another issue altogether.) The part of the law that addresses this online communication issue has now been repealed but it brings up an interesting point - how much should we be sharing with our students online and when does it stop being professional and start being inappropriate?
I am sure individual school districts have their own policies on these kinds of things, which makes me wonder if a state law on the issue is really even necessary. I would certainly never Facebook friend a student, but I know of people who make a second "professional" Facebook profile so they can add their bosses, coworkers, etc. - would it be inappropriate to do the same for our students? And if Facebook is a no-no, what else is off limits? One article from the Huffington Post briefly mentioned that online courses or online components of courses, such as blogging or discussion boards, might have even been affected by the law. How do we know how much online communication is too much?
This issue definitely brought up more questions for me than answers, and even though it really has no effect on us here, it is definitely an issue that we need to keep in mind when designing and implementing lesson plans that require the use of communications technologies. I can't imagine a similar law being passed in NJ, but if our local school districts have strict rules about these kinds of things, we'll have to change the way we think about using technology in the classroom to make sure we are not crossing any lines.
I am curious to hear what you all think of the law: do you think it should have been repealed? do you think teachers should be Facebook friends with their students? how can we ensure we are using technology appropriately in the classroom? and what kind of effect would a ban like this have on your own future classrooms?
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This is a great article you shared with the class. The second article you posted is extremely relevant to this course. The way this class runs is professional and appropriate, so if the law affects online courses, students would lose the benefits from them, such as this one. I definitely do not think it is appropriate to be Facebook friends with a student, but email, blogging, etc is useful to keep students in the loop of the class. If there is a specific internet use for the course, then I do not see what the problem is.
ReplyDeleteWhen a state passes a law, it generally grabs the attention of other the rest of the country so I would not be surprised if this forces other states to re-evaluate their own laws pertaining to the proper communication between staff members and students. After reading the article, I could definitely see the two sides of the argument in addition to the glaring flaws that infringe on the basic rights of educators. I want to focus on two questions specifically, “do you think it should have been repealed?” and “how can we ensure we are using technology appropriately in the classroom?”
ReplyDeleteFirst, I agree with the decision to repeal the bill on the grounds that it crosses the line that protects free speech. As much as any other member of society, teachers are entitled to this right. I understand there is a specific need here, to make sure the communication and private information of teachers and students improperly, but any bill has to be on the proper grounds. In my opinion, teachers should not be Facebook friends with students so my opposition relies fully on the unconstitutional nature of the bill. You mention how co-workers are friends with their bosses, but I think this is a bit different as both individuals are not adults who can fully acknowledge the difficulties it could provide.
In response to how can we ensure that technology is being used appropriately, I believe the answer is in functionality. If there is a specific purpose technology provides that enhances the learning experience, then it is bringing a better experience to the students. If technology is not promoting learning, then it should not be used. If there is a question about whether it is appropriate or not, then the concept of function should be address. The classroom allows for a lot of information to be transferred, but if you do not actively utilize technology in a positive matter, it may become distracting.
You bring up an interesting point Natalie. I also think that teachers and students should NOT be friends on Facebook. I think it crosses the professional line and I wouldn't mind a law being passed to keep students (who are underage) safe. This would also protect teachers from feeling any kind of guilt of hurting a student's feelings who wants to become friends with him/her on Facebook. This should not pertain to blogging and discussion forums that are completely related to school, projects and assignments. Therefore, there should be some kind of clear distinction made should a law be passed. I also know of some people who have separate Facebook accounts to "friend" students, but I honestly do not see the point.
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