[Air-L] policies on students and social media platforms

[Sharon Haleva Amir]

Hi Holly, 

I teach 2 courses this semester and both are accompanied with websites on
the Moodle platform. In addition, I have opened designated closed FB groups
(each course has its own group opened only to the course students). 

Both courses deal with the Internet (one is 'online resources in Law & the
Social Sciences' and the second is 'The Internet as a Political Platform');
nevertheless, some of my students are still reluctant to open an FB
account....

So I'm uploading all my formal teaching sources to the course's Moodle site
while the FB is only a voluntary option. More than half of my students in
both courses joined the groups and they use it for questions, peer
discussions, links and videos connected to the topic etc. 

The FB avoiding students are well aware that formal course resources will be
available on Moodle while extras will only be available in the FB group and
it's their choice.

I have to say that they are pleased with that. Some of the students have
complained to me that they think it is inappropriate that a few lecturers
make this requirement a compulsory one while they would like to have the
option to choose whether they would prefer not to use the FB group despite
of its advantages. 

There is no general college policy regarding the usage of other than Moodle
online platforms

Good luck, Sharon 

Best Wishes,
Sharon Haleva Amir, 
School of Governance and Social Policy, Beit Berl College, 
HCLT Fellow, (PhD Candidate) Faculty of Law, 
University of Haifa, ISRAEL. 
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-----Original Message-----
From: air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org
[mailto:air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Holly Kruse
Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2012 11:25 PM
To: air-l at aoir.org
Subject: [Air-L] policies on students and social media platforms

I've volunteered to spearhead a department initiative to draft an ethics
document. Part of it would involve whether it's okay to require students to
have or use online presences on social network sites or blogging platform
for class. I have my own complicated feelings about this (which are rather
site-specific and related to privacy controls and other factors), but I'm
wondering if there are any academic departments out there that have grappled
with this issue and have policies about it.

Thanks,

Holly
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