using facebook in the classroom

[JJonas]

Using Facebook in the Classroom

 

An interesting idea that came to me via the BETT twitter feed

[dwhyte85]

Facebook could be very useful as a VLE in itself. With custom Facebook applications, groups/lists it is just as effective as a VLE in terms of what it offers. Infact, it offers a realtime communications system. Embedding YouTube or other media... it is pretty functional and with the custom apps, let's say quiz's that have been altered... it's not that different.

 

The problem of other people, grooming and timewasting make it very difficult to ever happen. For University & College/VI Form where people are learning for themselves, not because they're forced it would be a good idea - well, I think so, it beats BlackBoard and WEBCT!

 

Of course these are my opinions and experience of an all girls school we see cases daily where someone called someone else something or said teacher was a so and so - they probably wouldn't do it if they had teachers added, then again they probably wouldn't want to add the teachers. On the other hand, VI formers do alot of work for media and business over facebook for the marketing/website parts and they don't mess around.

[Ric_]

This is something I'm thinking about at the minute. Providing a structured way of learning to be safe on the Internet using Web 2.0 apps that will be used away from school is essential but there are also the pitfalls of potential bullying and the like.

 

Rather than 'should we allow access to Facebook, etc.' I think the question should be 'how can we safely allow access to these applications?'

[soveryapt]

Rather than 'should we allow access to Facebook, etc.' I think the question should be 'how can we safely allow access to these applications?'

 

I like that way of thinking .. if there was a safe way to allow the access to Facebook (and all the others that are generally blocked - YouTube / Vimeo / MySpace / etc) then it would be great to allow the access into the school .. but it is the finding a safe way to allow access to them ..

[Tricky_Dicky]

Very interesting idea, but how do you keep the children focussed on the task in hand rather than just off and chatting to their friends/playing games and that sort of thing?

[Ric_]

Very interesting idea, but how do you keep the children focussed on the task in hand rather than just off and chatting to their friends/playing games and that sort of thing?

 

That's the discussion that needs to be had... do you limit it to certain times of day, certain rooms, certain pupils, etc? Or do you educate the pupils explaining that it is a priviledge and abuse will not be tolerated... implementing 'proper' punishments following parental involvement in the disciplinary procedure?

[Tricky_Dicky]

That's the discussion that needs to be had... do you limit it to certain times of day, certain rooms, certain pupils, etc? Or do you educate the pupils explaining that it is a priviledge and abuse will not be tolerated... implementing 'proper' punishments following parental involvement in the disciplinary procedure?

 

I suppose in reality it's not much different to any classroom activity, it just needs to be controlled with education and discipline.

 

Like a lot of things it would require some good applications, but if Facebook could create some sort of sandboxed version to use in school it could be awesome.