Social electronic butterflies

I have already expressed my feelings about social networks in the classroom in a previous post and since then, my feelings have yet to change.  I would like to address these two aspects of the social web: friendship based and interest-based.

First of all, I think it is ridiculous that people believe they need an electronic means, such as Facebook or Twitter, to keep up with those in their physical space.  If somebody is in your physical space, then just talk to them!  Call them!  Write them a letter or if you feel the need to use some sort of electronic technology, then email!  These methods have served me and my friendships well over the years.  I don’t need to go the Facebook to check up on my Goddaughter.  I actually go see her.  I talk to her mother.  I send her hand written cards and notes.  I have one friend who admitted that there have been times when she, her husband and two children have sat around the kitchen table at dinner and not spoken one word to each other but texted one another throughout the entire meal.  Not only is that the height of being impersonal, but how the heck are you suppose to eat your fried chicken if you don’t put your cell phone down?

I can understand the attraction to the Internet based on interest.  If something interests you, you want to find out more about that subject.  As we have discovered, the Internet has a wealth of information about all subjects.  But, caution needs to be used when connecting with people on the Internet who have the same interests as you do.  They are complete strangers.  Actually, they are worse.  They are faceless, complete strangers.  If contact is made base on a common interest, it can be confused for a friendship, after all that is how we develop our face-to-face friendships.  We align ourselves with those who have similar interests as ourselves.  Unlike face-to-face friendships, not much else is known about these connections.  With a face-to-face relationship, we can observe the person in all areas of life.  We are not just told who he/she is but we can see it and judge for ourselves.  I know that this is not a foolproof method for judging character, but at least it is self generated.  In an online situation, all I know about an individual is what that individual tells me.  It is much like using a word to define itself.  If I am going to use the web to expand my interests, I will stick to web sites about that particular subject.  I will not seek out new “friends.”

 I would like a buffer between the dangers of the web and students.  Consulting a credible website is fine but talking with faceless people based on a common interest is scary.  If I had to choose between a wiki page, which I am not fond of yet, and a social tool such as Facebook, I would choose the wiki.  It is interest based.  You wouldn’t visit the wiki unless you were interested in the subject matter.  And it is collaborative while maintaining personal space, if you will. 

I know that one argument for the use of the social web in the classroom is that kids are already using it, so put it to good use in school.  My argument is the opposite; kids are already using the social web, so lets teach them other ways to communicate and learn.