As a strong advocate for
children, adolescents, and families, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP),
in a clinical report authored by O’Keefe, Clarke-Pearson and Council on
Communication and Media (2011) offered several benefits for pre-adolescent and
adolescent use of social media. The benefits included increased socialization
and communication, enhanced learning opportunities, and accessible health
information. The AAP report indicated tweens and teens are at some risk when
navigating social media websites as a result of this age group demonstrating a
“limited capacity for self-regulation and susceptibility to peer pressure
(O’Keefe, Clarke-Pearson, & Council on Communication and Media, 2011, p.
800). Furthermore, O’Keefe et al. (2011) identified emerging
social media problems as cyberbullying and online harassment, Facebook
depression, sexting, privacy issues and digital footprints, internet addiction,
and sleep deprivation. While these issues encompass home and school settings,
campus stakeholders can focus on preadolescent and adolescent safety issues as
it relates to student and campus stakeholder social media usage.
The three ways to combat the issues of safety are: a) set distinct boundaries, b) focus on privacy for the students and educator, and c) get permission from parents before allowing a student to use social media. Educators are on track to integrate social media once they learn how to use social media tools and protect the safety of their classrooms. This starts with choosing a lesson that can benefit from social aspects, then figure out what tools you will use (Twitter, Google+, blogs), and finally and most important be flexible. If an educator feels overwhelmed, start small and work your way up. Even the most basic tools can get students excited and more engaged (Sanders, 2015).
References
Bodenhorn, N. (2006). Exploratory study of common and challenging ethical dilemmas experienced by professional school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 10(2), 195-202.
Bumgardner, S., & Knestis, K. (2011). Social networking as a tool for student and teacher learning. District Administration, 47(5), 85.
Chen, D. W., & McGeehan, P. (2012, May 1). Social media rules limit New York student teacher contact. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/02/nyregion/social-media-rules-for-nyc-school-staff-limits-contact-with-students.html?_r=0
Davis, J. (2015, July 10). Hacking exposed 21 million in U.S., government says. New York Times, p. A1
Fleisher, L. (2012, May 1). City lays out digital rules for teachers. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303916904577376541510305510
Guynn, J. (2015, July 9). Google’s new CFO Porat to face Wall Street that knows her well. USA Today.
Jackson, D., Jones, C., Shell, A., & Jansen, B. (2015, July 9). Internet of things: Not all that? USA Today.
London School of Economics and Political Science (2014). Children’s safety on the internet: a guide to stakeholders. Retrieved from http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/mediapolicyproject/2015/03/31/childrens-safety-on-the-internet-a-guide-to-stakeholders/
Lytle, R. (2011, August 10). Student-teacher social media restrictions get mixed reactions. U. S. News and World Report. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/education/high-schools/articles/2011/08/10/student-teacher-social-media-restrictions-get-mixed-reactions
Madden, M., Lenhart, A., Cortesi, S., Gasser, U., Duggan, M., Smith, A., & Beaton, M. (2013). Teens, social media, and privacy. The Berkeley center for internet and safety of Harvard University. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2013/05/PIP_TeensSocialMediaandPrivacy_PDF.pdf
Mullen, P. R., Griffith, C., Greene, J. H., Lambie, G. W. (2014). Social media and professional school counselors: Ethical and legal considerations. Journal of School Counseling, 12(8), 1-38. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1034737.pdf
Norris, N. (n.d.). Internet safety, cyberbullying, and responsible use of the internet. Technology Integration for Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.techforteachers.net/internet-safety.html
O’Keeffe, G. S., Clarke-Pearson, K., & Council on Communications and Media (2011). The impact of social media on children, adolescents, and families. Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 127(4), 800-804. Retrieved from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/127/4/800.full.pdf+html
Poore, Megan 2013. Using social media in the classroom: A best practice guide. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=vXY5k6LsPOUC
Sanders, J. (2015, March 18). How to start safely using social media in the classroom. Daily Genius. Retrieved from http://dailygenius.com/social-media-in-the-classroom
The London School of
Economics and Political Science identified three categories of online safety
issues related to students in online environments including: a) content, b) usage and conduct, along with, c) interaction and communication. Online content might include
inappropriate subject matter such as pornography, or potentially dangerous and
illegal content. Safety issues regarding usage and conduct includes student
behavior when using the internet. For example, students not demonstrating
appropriate digital citizenship and participating in cyberbullying and sexting.
The final category, interaction and communication arise when potential problems
develop as students interact with others, including educators, in online
environments (London School of Economics and Political Science). These
categories help school stakeholders focus efforts in securing student access to
accessible content, teaching appropriate usage and conduct in online
environments, and monitoring acceptable interaction and communication.
Securing Student Content
Today children of all ages
use technology and social networking. Some
websites may enable children using the internet to communicate in a safe way
and promote good digital citizenship and social behavior. On these sites,
children have the opportunity to enjoy interactive and social features on the
web. Many websites built for children include some degree of "social
networking" features. Parental involvement should be required to enable
certain features of the websites, which allow for posting profiles online. Websites
may do a service to our children by creating an extremely safe environment,
which is adult monitored, or has strict controls set up to prevent any misuse
(Norris, n.d).
There are downsides to some
children’s websites as well. Some of the downsides are branding,
advertising, and the materialistic nature of the content which is pervasive. Parents
may need to counter the downsides with discussions about commercialism on the
web (Norris, n.d.). In May 2008, Consumer Reports WebWatch and the
Mediatech Foundation illustrated how young children respond to advertising and
marketing tactics online in a study called, "Like Taking Candy from a
Baby: How Young Children Interact with Online Environments,", which
focused on young children, ages 2½ to 8 and used ethnographic methods.
Study indications showed some disturbing trends regarding some websites
created for the very young. Some indications included:
Some recommendations on how to keep children safe included:
As technology develops
and the use of the internet expands, concerns over safety and privacy do as
well. Safety and privacy are valid concerns for an educator who is
implementing or expanding the use of social media during lesson planning, with
intentions for innovative learning experiences. Since the goal of any social
network site is to connect people through using personal information, educators
must take care in choosing appropriate sites for education purposes.
For privacy purposes,
educators should choose kid-safe networks developed with elementary students in
mind. These sites limit the amount of data collected and made public or
searchable (Poore, 2013). The data collection concern increases when contemplating
sites geared toward middle school or high school students. Instructors should
take note of the website company’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy to
determine if the intended site allows the sale of private data for marketing
purposes. Teachers need to know what information is eligible for sharing so
they can better instruct their students on maintaining safety online.
Teenagers believe they have complete control over what they share on social networking sites which is cause for concern in the classroom (Madden, Lenhart, Cortesi, Gasser, Duggan, Smith, & Beaton, 2013). Students believe they are able to manage their profiles through privacy settings so they can decide how people see their information (Madden et al., 2013). "The problem with this belief is that website companies can, and do, change their privacy notices and data collection practices" (Poore, 2013, p. 87). With students believing their profiles are safe, they are more likely to engage in activities that might compromise their profiles. Teachers need to stay up to date on privacy updates within the social media sites they use to keep their students information safe.
While students are not overly concerned about the information they share, their parents show concern about the amount and type of information needed to engage in online learning. Madden et al. (2013) upheld teenage students have less concern about information shared with a third party. However, parents show concern about the amount, and type, of information used to engage in online learning. Interestingly, younger students and pre-teens are more likely to be concerned about sharing their information than their older counterparts. To combat concerns, teachers should make both students and parents aware of what information will be used to access any social networking site they use in the classroom to foster a safe online environment.
Teenagers believe they have complete control over what they share on social networking sites which is cause for concern in the classroom (Madden, Lenhart, Cortesi, Gasser, Duggan, Smith, & Beaton, 2013). Students believe they are able to manage their profiles through privacy settings so they can decide how people see their information (Madden et al., 2013). "The problem with this belief is that website companies can, and do, change their privacy notices and data collection practices" (Poore, 2013, p. 87). With students believing their profiles are safe, they are more likely to engage in activities that might compromise their profiles. Teachers need to stay up to date on privacy updates within the social media sites they use to keep their students information safe.
While students are not overly concerned about the information they share, their parents show concern about the amount and type of information needed to engage in online learning. Madden et al. (2013) upheld teenage students have less concern about information shared with a third party. However, parents show concern about the amount, and type, of information used to engage in online learning. Interestingly, younger students and pre-teens are more likely to be concerned about sharing their information than their older counterparts. To combat concerns, teachers should make both students and parents aware of what information will be used to access any social networking site they use in the classroom to foster a safe online environment.
Student security in
online environments is an important concern. Not only is there a need for
protecting children and their exposure to online predators and inappropriate
content, but also securing their privacy. A recent attack on Wall Street
exposed the vulnerability of a system that many thought was impenetrable.
Tim McElwee (as cited in Jackson, 2015) suggested internet access
inherently raises the risk of attack and suggests that every device is another
IP address that is a potential target. In addition to systems being under
attack by malicious computer programs, personal records and information is also
a highly sought after commodity.
Privacy of users,
especially when they are minors, must remain an utmost consideration of
educational institutions. Predators lurk on the internet looking to take
advantage of others. Information of users is readily available to those
who are savvy enough to hack into systems. Recently Google announced the
hiring of their new Chief Financial Officer, Ruth Porat. Her portfolio
includes growing investors’ confidence by sharing financial details while
strategically keeping the amount of data mining Google conducts out of the
public eye (Guynn, 2015). Institutions must assume the use of technology is
paired with inherent risks. Even the government’s most secure data of
personnel with security clearances was breached. This act of cyberdeviance
was the cause of the release of over 21 million people's personal information
(Davis, 2015). If a secure branch of government with all of its resources
and safeguards can lose data on 21 million people, then educational centers
must find and create strategies to reduce their liability in the event of a
cyber attack.
Securing Student Usage
and Conduct
When talking about
social media in a K-12 classroom, two issues emerge: safety and integration.
Internet safety is one of the main focuses in classrooms. Part of safety is making sure we are not only being good digital
citizens, but teaching our students to be as well. Digital citizenship
relates to the concept that people who reside in a digital world share in
rights and responsibilities as members of the community (Norris, n.d.). A
good citizen uses their best efforts to benefit the group, classroom, or
community, which helps parents, guardians, and educators understand how
students should use technology correctly. When children and adults abuse
and misuse technology, it might be because they do not know what is considered
appropriate technology usage (Norris, n.d.). Educators must provide
support and direct instruction when teaching students the principles of Digital
Citizenship. Norris (n.d., para. 2) upheld these principles of Digital
Citizenship to include:
Another component of
internet safety is ensuring student safety from cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is the use of any electronic
medium to harass, threaten, intimidate, or harm someone (Norris, n.d.).
Cyberbullying can include instant messaging, chat rooms, email, social
media networks, or cell phones. Cyberbullying is done by both children and
adults; therefore, it is important to act on and take any type of cyberbullying
seriously. Cyberbullying is worse than face to face bullying because the bully
can remain anonymous and the victims seemingly cannot escape from the
harassment (Norris, n.d.).
Cyberbullying is a
definite area of concern for educators considering introducing social media in
the classroom. While cyberbullying can take place on an educational site,
educators can minimize the possibility of cyberbullying by forming a social
networking group rather than allowing use of sites that center on individuals
(Poore, 2013, 85). Cyberbullying is more likely to occur when an
individual makes their likes and dislikes known. Educators should form social
media groups focused on a curriculum area, or a topic, so students are engaged
in discussing the topic instead of commenting about individual preferences.
For important information and tips to Cyberbullying, see the information
below:
There are numerous
resources to inform students and parents about cyberbullying, safe use of
internet resources, and the use of sites like MySpace, FaceBook, Hi5, and Instagram. Some of these resources include:
Internet safety,
cyberbullying, and responsible use of the internet are concerns by parents and
educators alike. By making sure all parties are aware of the dangers and
resources to help prevent these issues, stakeholders are ensuring technology
and social networking safety for students when utilizing the internet. However,
less than 20% of teachers currently use social media in their classrooms because
they are unsure of how to integrate it successfully (Sanders, 2015). Educators
understand students have different learning styles; and therefore, must
utilize different outlets for teaching.
Sanders (2015) stated, “bringing social networking into the classroom
gives quiet students a chance to shine; sharing their voice online is often
easier than speaking out in class” (para. 3). Building teacher knowledge and
confidence on securing accessible content, and teaching digital citizenship,
may increase the use of social media in classrooms.
Securing Student
Interactions & Communications
Notwithstanding the evidence, which supports a
mutually beneficial teacher-student relationship, there are growing concerns
regarding unethical teacher-student relationships facilitated by online
environments. Lytle (2011) highlights these concerns in a US News and World Report article. Additional ethical dilemmas resulting from teacher-student
relationships in online environments are noted by Chen & McGeehan (2012) in
a New York Times article.
Each campus stakeholder
subscribes to ethical behaviors developed and disseminated by respective
governing bodies including the Educational Leadership Policy Standards 2008, Code of Ethics for Educators, and Ethical Standards for School Counselors. Certain codes of conduct clearly identify the
need for campus stakeholders to keep students safe and secure. With that end in
mind, this section will focus on campus stakeholders acting in purposeful ways
to ensure student safety in online environments including social media.
Mullen, Griffith,
Greene, & Lambie (2014) offered school counselors assistance in avoiding
ethical dilemmas in social media environments by identifying three areas of
student safety and security concerns including (1) relationships and
boundaries, (2) student confidentiality and privacy, and (3) professionalism.
Although intended for school counselors, these professional concerns have
campus-wide stakeholder implications.
One area of student
safety and security concerns in social media environments deals with
stakeholder-student relationships and the necessity of ethical boundaries.
While functioning in campus roles, campus stakeholders including administrators,
educators, and counselors, develop personal and academic relationships with
students, which facilitate the student’s personal, academic, and social
development. Mullen et al., (2014) stated multiple relationships occur
when campus stakeholders enter into more than one role with a student.
Bodenhorn (2006) found school counselors who develop dual relationships
with students face difficult ethical dilemmas. Dual relationships with students
can develop in a social media environment (Mullen et al., 2014). To
prevent the development of dual relationships with students on social media
sites, campus communication with students should be ethical and professional.
Communication of a personal nature should not be introduced or explored. When
circumstances require communication of a personal nature, an alternate method
should be agreed upon including email, telephone, or face-to-face communication
(Mullen et al., 2014). For additional resources involving teachers and
electronic communication with students visit the following link: Ethical and Professional Dilemmas for
Educators
Acceptable Use Policies
In an effort to manage
the three safety and security categories which campus stakeholders must
confront, school districts are developing Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). Part of internet safety when allowing social
media into the classroom is having an Acceptable Use Policy. An AUP is a
document outlining the expected behavior to use district resources
(Bumgardener and Knestis, 2011). This set of rules gives precise details
about the district’s views on social media, profanity, and objectionable
activities when accessing and utilizing the district’s internet. In an
effort to keep students safe, most districts have firewalls which make using
social media as a learning tool difficult. When an AUP bans certain
social media sites, collaboration between students in different locales is virtually
impossible and deters students’ educational opportunities.
Teachers need to be
aware of their responsibilities listed in the AUP so they can enable the use of
social media inside their district’s guidelines. According to technology specialist
Julie Ward (2015), “as a former Instructional Technology Coordinator at a K12
school district, we had a policy and steps for teachers to follow to unblock a
website. They had to give us the name of the website, reasons for wanting
it unblocked and how it would align to the vision of the school and state
standards if necessary. We looked at each request individually and had a
committee who would make a decision. Often, if the teacher had good
reason and could back it up with valid information, we would unblock.”
The three ways to combat the issues of safety are: a) set distinct boundaries, b) focus on privacy for the students and educator, and c) get permission from parents before allowing a student to use social media. Educators are on track to integrate social media once they learn how to use social media tools and protect the safety of their classrooms. This starts with choosing a lesson that can benefit from social aspects, then figure out what tools you will use (Twitter, Google+, blogs), and finally and most important be flexible. If an educator feels overwhelmed, start small and work your way up. Even the most basic tools can get students excited and more engaged (Sanders, 2015).
References
Bodenhorn, N. (2006). Exploratory study of common and challenging ethical dilemmas experienced by professional school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 10(2), 195-202.
Bumgardner, S., & Knestis, K. (2011). Social networking as a tool for student and teacher learning. District Administration, 47(5), 85.
Chen, D. W., & McGeehan, P. (2012, May 1). Social media rules limit New York student teacher contact. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/02/nyregion/social-media-rules-for-nyc-school-staff-limits-contact-with-students.html?_r=0
Davis, J. (2015, July 10). Hacking exposed 21 million in U.S., government says. New York Times, p. A1
Fleisher, L. (2012, May 1). City lays out digital rules for teachers. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303916904577376541510305510
Guynn, J. (2015, July 9). Google’s new CFO Porat to face Wall Street that knows her well. USA Today.
Jackson, D., Jones, C., Shell, A., & Jansen, B. (2015, July 9). Internet of things: Not all that? USA Today.
London School of Economics and Political Science (2014). Children’s safety on the internet: a guide to stakeholders. Retrieved from http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/mediapolicyproject/2015/03/31/childrens-safety-on-the-internet-a-guide-to-stakeholders/
Lytle, R. (2011, August 10). Student-teacher social media restrictions get mixed reactions. U. S. News and World Report. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/education/high-schools/articles/2011/08/10/student-teacher-social-media-restrictions-get-mixed-reactions
Madden, M., Lenhart, A., Cortesi, S., Gasser, U., Duggan, M., Smith, A., & Beaton, M. (2013). Teens, social media, and privacy. The Berkeley center for internet and safety of Harvard University. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2013/05/PIP_TeensSocialMediaandPrivacy_PDF.pdf
Mullen, P. R., Griffith, C., Greene, J. H., Lambie, G. W. (2014). Social media and professional school counselors: Ethical and legal considerations. Journal of School Counseling, 12(8), 1-38. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1034737.pdf
Norris, N. (n.d.). Internet safety, cyberbullying, and responsible use of the internet. Technology Integration for Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.techforteachers.net/internet-safety.html
O’Keeffe, G. S., Clarke-Pearson, K., & Council on Communications and Media (2011). The impact of social media on children, adolescents, and families. Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 127(4), 800-804. Retrieved from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/127/4/800.full.pdf+html
Poore, Megan 2013. Using social media in the classroom: A best practice guide. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=vXY5k6LsPOUC
Sanders, J. (2015, March 18). How to start safely using social media in the classroom. Daily Genius. Retrieved from http://dailygenius.com/social-media-in-the-classroom
