MySpace and Facebook and Tagged, Oh My: What you need to know about

social networking websites

Dr. Odin Jurkowski

http://faculty.cmsu.edu/jurkowski/MASL2007Last updated 4.13.07

Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL) Spring Conference

04.16.07 Session VI (4:30pm) & 04.17.07 Session VIII (10:10am)

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What this Workshop is all AboutSocial networks:

What are these new fangled things all about,

why do I need to know about them,

what does it mean to me and my students?

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Agenda Introduction Web 2.0 (Library 2.0) Social Networking Explained Safety Education

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Expectations change “Email is for old people” Cell phone, IM, MySpace,…

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Wow, that’s a lot of users There are over 106,000,000 registered users

of MySpace (as of 2006). If MySpace were a country, it would be the

11th largest in the world (between Japan and Mexico).

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Examples MySpace – 80% of social networking use Facebook – 90% of college students Tagged, and 100 others…

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Social Networking Websites and Teens: An Overview

"More than half (55%) of all online American youths ages 12-17 use online social networking sites, according to a new national survey of teenagers conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project.” Older teens, particularly girls, are more likely to use these sites. For girls, social networking sites are primarily places to reinforce pre-existing friendships; For boys, the networks also provide opportunities for flirting and making new friends."

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In December, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions launched a Facebook page designed to communicate and build community among students admitted to UCM for the fall semester. Within 24 hours, approximately 15% of the admit pool at the time joined the community. Admissions Representatives have responded to student questions and concerns regarding a variety of issues including finding a roommate, selecting classes, orientation, next steps, etc.

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Everyone’s Involved Barack Obama

http://www.myspace.com/barackobama Hillary Clinton

http://www.myspace.com/hillaryclinton2008

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Web 2.0 Instant Messaging Blogs YouTube Video Blogs Podcasts RSS Wikis Social Bookmarking Online Photo Galleries

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Characteristics of a Digital NativeFollowing is a compilation of characteristics of 21st-

century learners gleaned from a variety of sources, including an American Association of School Librarians blog, high school and university student interviews, and Kim Jones, vice president of global education for Sun Microsystems.

Multimedia oriented Web-based Less fear of failure Instant gratification Impatient Nonlinear Multitasker Less textual, more modalities Active involvement Very creative Less structured Expressive

Extremely social Need a sense of security that they are defining for

and by themselves Egocentric Preference for electronic environments Have electronic friends Thrive with redefined structure Surface-oriented Information overload Widening gap to information access Share a common language Risk takers Technology is a need Aren't looking for the right answer Feel a sense of entitlement Constant engagement All information is equal No cultural distinctions (global) Striving to be independent

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Social Networking Asynchronous Less pressure than phone Not face-to-face: less intimidating Easy Personalized Features Web 2.0 components: discussion,

notes, pictures, … Events

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Positive Aspects Social networking is a way to connect to

others Create new friendships, or a way to contact

current friends Sense of community Opportunity to create a positive self-image

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Challenges False sense of security Students can be stalked Overuse can distract students from academic and

other extra curricular time Association with certain interest groups could create

a negative impact on image Could get in trouble with school administrators for

improper use or poor judgment

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Safety on School Computers Filters Antivirus Deep Freeze Acceptable use policy Webpage disclaimers

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Warning to Students 77% of job recruiters check web sites and

social networking sites before hiring Some schools using information on web to

make discipline decisions Safety / stalking issues

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Stay Safe: What to tell students Keep your identity private Never get together with someone you “meet” online Never respond to e-mail, chat comments, instant messages, or other

messages that are hostile, belligerent, inappropriate or in any way make you feel uncomfortable

Talk with your parents about their expectations and ground rules for going online

Utilize privacy settings Google yourself What you post may be around forever

Wayback Machine Think about who may see your profile: parents, grandparents, teachers,

employers

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Proposed Legislation Illinois

Social Networking Website Prohibition Act (SB 1682) – public libraries and schools would have to “prohibit access to social networking websites on all computers made available to the public.”

Georgia & North Carolina SB 59; SB 132 – would require owners of social

networking sites to force minors to get parental permission

Alaska SB 49 – ties e-rate funding to blocking minors’ access to

social networking sites unless there is parental consent

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ILA Talking Points Education, not laws blocking access, is the key to safe use of

the Internet. Libraries and schools are safe places where kids can learn essential information literacy skills.

Limiting access to social networking sites in E-rate schools and libraries will have little impact on the overall problem since young people access these sites from many locations. If children are going to get into trouble online, chances are it won’t be at school.

New Internet-based applications for collaboration, business, and learning are becoming increasing important, and young people must be prepared to thrive in a work environment where meetings take place online

Local decision making is the way to solve the problems

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Educational uses Communication tool Student organizations Announcements

But this is primarily at college level. What about k-12?

Safety / Security Under 18

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Organizational MySpace Pages Brooklyn College Library

http://www.myspace.com/brooklyncollegelibrary

ALA http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=134390181

Independence High School http://groups.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=groups.groupProfile&groupID=100000360&MyToken=d909252a-83e6-48d8-a326-ca1098e7dbf8

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Why do we need to be aware Concepts are important, and these pieces

show up in other secure software tools Need to understand what students are doing Need a safe social networking site for schools Parents need to communicate with children

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Social skills are integral to media literacy

“Preventing libraries from dealing with social networking sites is the worst possible course of action. Instead, let’s make sure that our librarians and teachers have an informed perspective about what’s going on in the online world, that they know how to balance the risks and benefits of using social networking that most adults now use to go about their work lives.” – Henry Jenkins

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Useful Resources List of Social Networking Sites

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites

ePALS SchoolMail http://schoolmail.epalscorp.com/schoolmail/

ePALS SchoolBlog http://schoolblog.epals.com/?id=epalshome

http://www.ila.org/advocacy/pdf/DOPA.pdf

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Examples MySpace http://www.myspace.com/odinjurkowski Facebook http://cmsu.facebook.com/profile.php?

id=57008116

Shuzak http://www.shuzak.com/SignIn.php

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Contact InformationDr. Odin JurkowskiAssociate Professor of Library Science & Information ServicesProgram Coordinator, Educational TechnologyDepartment of Educational Leadership & Human DevelopmentCollege of EducationUniversity of Central Missouri Lovinger 4200BWarrensburg MO 64093

phone 660.543.8387jurkowski@ucmo.eduhttp://faculty.cmsu.edu/jurkowski