What is the tool?
Facebook has become a modern tool and way of life for many generations to stay in touch with one another. Facebook has not only been utilized as a way of communication with others, but we are now seeing businesses and major companies taking advantage of this media outlet. Facebook was originally meant for a simple social networking website for college students, however, with the huge success and followers on Facebook, it has expanded immensely and now anyone can be a part of Facebook whether or not you are in college or attend any schools. Facebook users can join networks that are typically organized by workplaces, schools, or colleges.
How can it be used?
Facebook can be used in many different ways. There are also many different elements that Facebook offers to its users. Facebook can be used to stay in touch with friends, co-workers, family members and classmates. You can virtually be anyone's friend on Facebook that you wish to stay in touch with and in contact with. Facebook has also been more currently used as a means of academic help. You can add people as your friends on Facebook that are in your classes and even start a group to where only people in that particular class can communicate back and forth with each other about assignments, homework and projects. This has been a very effective way of ensuring success and collaborative communication between classmates and even teachers. This also allows students to help each other rather than just depending on emails back from their teachers.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this tool?
Facebook is essentially a great way to stay in touch with people and communicate with classmates, however, with this being said, with all the other online outlets of communication, there comes advantages and disadvantages. However, I strongly believe the the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The disadvantages of Facebook mainly deal with privacy issues. Every user has the ability to control who sees what on your Facebook page. You have the ability to also make your information public and/or private as well as control who can search for you and who can't. You also have the ability to block certain people from viewing and seeing your Facebook page. Also, if you are not "friends" with someone on Facebook, then random people that you do not know do not have the access to view your information. All these privacy issues really do rest in your own hands. Nevertheless, with this being said, the advantages of having a Facebook account are plentiful. You can keep in touch with friends and family, easily contact someone if for some reason you can't get a hold of them in any other way, communicate with teachers, groups, co-workers and friends as well as have access to many different games. Facebook can also be used as a medium to upload pictures, which is really helpful if a teacher or a classmate is trying to explain something, they can easily upload a picture and share it with their classmates.
Who is the audience for this tool?
The audience of Facebook has rapidly changes throughout the years since it's introduction. First it was strictly for college students then spread like a wild fire and now anyone has access to a Facebook account. All you have to have is a current email address to sign up. When using Facebook in a classroom, I would definitely only use it with older students, particularly high school students. I believe that this technology medium is a little too advanced for the elementary and middle school level. I believe that high school students would easily be able to navigate their Facebook pages as well as be able to keep up with their groups that their teachers or other classmates may be involved in.
Where can we learn more about this tool?
http://www.facebook.com
* This particular website is where you can sign up and join the world of Facebook. All you have to do is provide an email address and then the website guides you through the rest of the steps to be on your way to become a Facebook user!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook
* This particular website is an A-Z breakdown of Facebook and its origin and how far it has come since its introduction.
What is your opinion on the usefulness of this tool?
I believe that Facebook is a very useful tool in the classroom. Although there are particular issues in concerning one's privacy, I believe that with the right coaching and mediation, a teacher could reach out to their students easily. I remember in high school, our teachers never gave us their phone numbers to contact them if we needed to for any reason. We always had to contact them via email. Some college professors are even that way, too. I believe that Facebook allows students to keep in touch with their professors and teachers and allows an open discussion for certain projects that may be due, etc. By creating a Facebook group, for example, called "Math 2230" this could allow all students to be in this group, have contact with their teachers and allow all questions to be an open book so that even the students could help eachother in answering their own questions as well.
CREATED BY: KAITLYN MILLER
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