Thing #22 Social Networking
I am not so sure that I am very comfortable with the use of social networking as a tool in my work. I don’t really know why; perhaps I have a need for control that I have not recognized before. It would have to be used with a group in which I had a lot of trust! The groups that I read often had very negative comments on them, and quite a few responses that seemed to go beyond being helpful and into the realm of hateful. Maybe I just picked the wrong groups to follow.
I can see the possibilities of using the networks for groups of teachers, such as second grade teachers, or media specialists, or teachers working with kids with ASD. Maybe if the group was limited in that way to begin with, I would feel more comfortable suggesting this way of communicating. I just have to remember that just because this kind of communication makes me uncomfortable doesn’t mean it can’t work with others with different needs. (How much all teachers need to realize that!)
I want to explore this topic more thoroughly, figure out what bothers me about it, and figure out a way to help others use it to their advantage.
