Wednesday, February 4, 2009

A fine line drawn for professors?

Take a look at the following article from the Feb.6th issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education:

http://chronicle.com/free/v55/i22/22a00104.htm


My questions for you are

1. Where do we draw the line between public consumption and privacy?

2. How do you feel about your teachers, professors and administrators having similar online, social-networking means as you?
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15 comments:

  1. Ashley BrealeyFebruary 4, 2009 at 8:40 PM

    1) Obviously there has to be a level of privacy to whichever social network you subscribe to, but just keep in mind, this is the Information Era. I edit a lot of my would-be comments because of people I have included in my social network (i.e. Facebook, Myspace). If I really want to tell someone something that may put me in the hot seat with others, I do so through private messaging, not for all to read.
    2)I think it's great! I have a professor that is on my Facebook. I am a firm believer that what happens at work stays at work and what happens at home stays at home. Obviously if you are networking with students professors feel the need to have certain boundry line, and I completely understand their hesitations, but I really see them as anyone else. They have lives outside of school, that do not include students and coworkers. They include family, significant others, best friends, high school friends, acquaintances, and problems like just the rest of us. Is that really so difficult for others to comprehend?!
    If I have a shitty day at work, why shouldn't I be able to vent about it or made a smartass remark? Teachers are no different. Having a hard time with men/women/dating and want to leave a public comment about your frustrations (done purposefully for that other person to see when they log on)should not be a professional castration.

    This really annoys the crap out of me.

    People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. I'm no Mother Teresa, and no one I know is either.

    Ashley Surrency

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  2. UnknownFebruary 5, 2009 at 5:36 AM

    1. I think people should keep their social networks private to at least some degree, because it can be very easy to lose a job or friends over what you write on facebook or myspace.

    2. I think its ok for professors to be on students' social networks. its a great way to keep in touch with their students, and professors are people too, and they need to be able to vent. but professors need to be a little more careful about their venting if there are students on their facebook or myspace, and the students need to be the same way.

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  3. jerpFebruary 5, 2009 at 8:18 AM

    I say people should have more integrity. If there is something that could get you in trouble don't do it. The teacher in the article was talking shit behind peoples backs and deserved what she got. The internet is not a place for people to vent, especially people society holds to a higher standard, including teachers.

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  4. UnknownFebruary 5, 2009 at 8:33 AM

    I think if you are going to put something online no matter what it is you should becarefull of what it says. Even if you have it private people still can get into it.

    I think it's ok because it was made for anyone to use it. I have highschool teachers with myspace pages. Along with that if you are going to have one you should not have students who are still in your school as a friend.

    Castor B.

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  5. AnonymousFebruary 5, 2009 at 8:35 AM

    1. People shouldn't even bother with all this damn computer nonsense. But for thoses that do, keep the personal stuff on private or pay the consequences.
    2.Anyone should be able to do whatever they can on computers just as much as the next person.
    -Allison Kahler

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  6. JohnFebruary 5, 2009 at 8:53 AM

    I feel people hold teachers in too high expectations to the point where they are not aloud to have any personal life or enjoyment. The expectation that a proffessor can't socialize with anyone, online or in the real world. It does take forever to build a reputation, but it really does only take one moment to destroy it. It is really sad to see a proffessor and a student can't socialize as adults. I have a coulpe of my old teachers on my buddy list and I treat them as normal people, and normal friends.

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  7. AnonymousFebruary 5, 2009 at 8:57 AM

    Public Consumtion and Privacy should be separted to some degree.Posting any thing on the internet can ruin anyon's reputation I can take a long time to build a reputation and just second to destroy it. I feel teachers and etc can have a social - online network but it shouldn't be too personal were it can ruin opportuties and reputation

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  8. AmandaFebruary 5, 2009 at 9:03 AM

    I think if i saw my teacher out somewhere in public other then at school, i would go up to them and talk to them and say hey. I would not talk to them about school. I would just say hey how's it going or whatever. If any of my teachers have a myspace or facebook i would talk to them and not think twice about it.

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  9. rodneyFebruary 5, 2009 at 9:05 AM

    1) you draw the line between public consumption and privacy when your information is getting displayed as if it was for the public and it wasnt for jus you thats when you draw the line you have to keep things that are important to yourself because it will spread.

    2)i feel great about my teachers and professors having the same online networking like us because it shows what the college student and the professors have in common and it can help the professors understand the students world instead of jus the teachers world

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  10. Matt101CRNAFebruary 5, 2009 at 9:12 AM

    1. I always belived thatn no matter what you put on the internet expect all to see it. With the technology now, people can break into what you thought was private. If I want something to be be private I decide to keep it to myself. If everyone could see it... then it wouldn't be private.
    2. Just because they are administrators to you dosen't mean that they aren't regular people to anyone else. If they decide to post private ideas or information so all could see, then it is thier own stupidituy that brought the public consumptuion upon themselves. Sure of coarse they can use the same things I do... Why not?

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  11. CasperFebruary 5, 2009 at 11:03 AM

    I think young people need to remember that many teachers and administrators were grandfathered in so to speak as to the use of computers and the internet. Proof of this is when a teacher runs into an error on a computer, usually it's a student who fixes it. This whole idea of everyone in the world having access to everything you do is fairly new in the big scheme of things and a bit daunting.
    Perhaps instead of being so quick to criticize, we should take into consideration just how little we are actually taught about the internet and how much of that is trial and error.
    As far as using the same online networking sites, is there another option? Everything is out there in cyberspace as one gigantic public forum with no real seperation for this or that profession. It is unrealistic to think that several million people who maintain one of the most taxing jobs there is should not be allowed to enjoy online networking sites. But at the same time should heed their own advice and be cautious about online activity.

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  12. akdjfFebruary 5, 2009 at 4:25 PM

    1) We draw the line between public consumption and privacy when we make a consious effort to monitor what we do on our social networking sites and make our profiles private.

    2) I can't stand how teachers ect have social networking sites now. I feel like big brother is always watcihng over me.

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  13. M. B. JenningsFebruary 10, 2009 at 10:27 AM

    Jennifer, how can big brother be watching over you if you're not inclined to "befriend" big brother, and you set your profile to "private"?

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  14. AnonymousFebruary 14, 2009 at 6:33 PM

    I think that it is cool that teachers can interact with society just the way that we do. Teachers can have a facebook or whatever the heck all that stuff is, just as much as a student can. If I had a myspace or whatever, then I would not mind saying hey to my teacher or even if I just see them in the store. I really do think that personal life should be kept out of it though.
    -Michael Kahler

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  15. ibpcxMarch 17, 2009 at 8:54 AM

    1. I think if people think about what they are doing, there would be less problems going on due to this

    2. I think its cool that teachers have social networking sites, its very helpful and come on, lets face it, they are people, why should they be chastised for interacting as such

    -Pablo

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