FAQ
Who will monitor the Facebook Group?
Presently I am monitoring along with two other instructors, Cat Traen (Ceramics) and Reuben D'Silva (History). Appropriate content, language, interaction, etc. are essential to the overall success of our group and that includes interacting online appropriately. Your parents are encouraged to join the group as well.
Why Facebook?
First, it is one of the only social media platforms that allows for private discussion with multiple users.
Next, its ease of use makes it a logical choice. Finally, the ability to upload photos and share to the group without them being seen by the masses is also important. So students are able to maintain privacy and still collaborate with one another.
How Can My Student's Safety Be Maintained on Facebook?
I think it is important to note that while students are discouraged from sharing personal information on the main portion of Facebook, this responsibility is three-fold. As an instructor, I will provide instructional tools regarding internet safety, suggestions from Las Vegas Metro, and personal experience. (I teach a class on Internet Privacy at UNLV.) It is the parent/guardian's responsibility to reinforce those lessons at home with their student. It is of course the student's responsibility to be mature, honest and diligent about maintaining good internet privacy skills (such as don't list your high school in your profile or your city, none of that is required). I believe if we all work toward that goal we will achieve it.
Social Media
It isn't going away so we need to embrace it. I realize that most students have done this either with or without your parent/s' permission however for the purposes of this class I would like for us to be completely transparent.
A great way for us to build together as a team of upper division students is for us to connect socially but appropriately. Since many will not share a classroom, this proves to be challenging. Social media will allow students to collaborate together in a safe, moderated environment of encouragement.
Facebook is the provider of choice and I have created Rancho Graphics - Advanced just for us - this is a CLOSED GROUP. What that means is that not just anyone on Facebook can join and not just anyone can see the posts. They will be private to our group. In a world where identity and privacy are slowly being stripped away I think it is important for us to be a little cloistered plus it keeps the public from being able to intervene at all.
Let's say that Xarian Jones has a project and she needs feedback but its 6pm and she would really like to finish her project. Xarian posts her dilemma to our Facebook group. Other students see that she has posted, see what she posted and go to leave appropriate and helpful comments to assist her in her goals of good design and completion of her project. Without this, she may not finish on time or her design work may not be as well thought out. What if Xarian was YOU? You would want that kind of assistance and support I'm sure.