Digital Natives: Growing Up Online

Tomorrow, I'm giving a presentation at a law firm in DC on MySpaceFacebook Social networking issues. I'm posting the presentation online here:

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Virtual Playground

I never got around to publishing my research paper on Social Networking and Identity Development for the Marshall McLuhan class I took in the Fall. This 14 page paper outlines the research I synthesized from various cutting-edge researchers on the topic of how socializing online affects children's development, specifically their sense of self, or identity.
You can read it here: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg9rtthh_5g6zxftfp

Most Recent Presentation Resources

I'm preparing for a presentation next week in DC about Social Networking. Here are the resources I plan on using for the presentation. They are in no particular order at this point:

NetFamilyNews Blog
http://www.netfamilynews.org/

Frontline: Growing Up Online
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/

Megan Meier Chicago Tribune Story
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-megan-meier-myspace-080515-ht,0,1888103.story
CNN Story on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFsfDLCkfQU
Megan Meier Memorial MySpace Page
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=282649353

Olivia Gardner Story in San Francisco Chronicle (Bullying)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/05/23/MNGTFPVVON1.DTL

Avery Donninger Case: Hartford Courant Newsarticle
http://www.courant.com/community/news/fv/hc-doninger0530.artmay30,0,5206405.story

Instant Messenger Dictionary
http://www.pbs.org/parents/childrenandmedia/mediaglossary-lexicon.html

Crimes Against Children Research Center 2006 Report
http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/cv138.pdf

Pew Internet Research Center: Teens and Social Media
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/230/report_display.asp

Pew Internet Research Center: Teens, Privacy and Online Social Networks
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/211/report_display.asp

Tips For Removing Offensive Profiles from Various Social Networking Sites
http://www.cyberbullyhelp.com/Help%20Tips%20for%20Reporting%20Offensive%20Profiles.pdf

Internet Filter Review and Comparison
http://internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/

AOL Parental Controls Download
www.parentalcontrols.aol.com/

To Block or Not to Block

There's a wonderful debate raging among my peers: To Block or Not to Block. My Space, Facebook, Instant Messengers, Personal Email, Club Penguin, Webkinz...they're all under scrutiny. There are those who feel that as technology educators we should be encouraging their use, allowing free access to the site because of their educational value. There are others that block these sites because they're bandwidth hogs. Still, others block the sites because there are too many inherent problems that occur by allowing access. Problems include bullying, posting of inappropriate materials, school and teacher information on the pages, not to mention time spent in class posting when they should be working on a classroom assignment.

Counterpoint: The classroom assignment should be engaging enough that the kids do not feel compelled to post on My Space instead. I think all of these are black and white arguments for a gray issue. First, I'll admit that our school blocks access to these social networking sites. My reasoning is bandwidth related first, but secondarily, because they are just that: social networking sites. I hear your voices screaming, "But they have educational value." I say, no, they do not have inherent educational value other than what we try to artificially introduce. Yes, presidential candidates are posting to My Space. But they're also posting other places besides social networks. It's the beauty of the internet that there are no exclusives. Anything you can find there, you can find somewhere else.

There are alternative sites that use the technology of social networks (Moodle and Ning) without problems associated. In the workworld, a person will never be asked to complete a work assignment on My Space--that's only a tool. The issue is really do they know how to use Web 2.0 tools? If we're teaching them how to use similar tools, and teaching them about the SOCIAL ISSUES raised in places like My Space then I say we're doing our jobs. We do not have give students free access to these sites any more than we have to let them leave their cell phones on all day.

Yeah, I know that's a whole new can of worms...

Sorry for the rantish tone here. I'm done. For today.
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Think Before You Post

Iain Cook-Bonney, who's on the Global Education Collaborative Ning, posted this You Tube video "Think Before You Post" on his blog. We should be showing this to all our kids!

Ninging

This week, through the ISED list-serv, I learned about Ning. It's a social networking site where you can actually create your own social network. You make your OWN My Space. I'm a member of the Global Education ning, and this morning I felt a kind of unexpected freedom associated with this membership that I've never felt with My Space. When I checked my email I had four friend requests and after the initial lurch of protectiveness passed, I realized that the chances of these four potential "friends" being spammers, wanna-be porn stars, or lascivious teenagers were slim. I clicked accept on the first friend box without even hesitating.

Then I clicked and clicked again and now I have four friends. I do not worry that I'll click on their profile and see a photo of him or her butt-forward into the camera. I know that they're a member of this network because they want to discuss global education. I've already got about five ideas for how I can use this with middle school children (a class social network for discussing homework with teachers as members as well), with teachers at my school (issues discussion?), and even schools in other countries with which we're designing collaboration. Freedom. Ahhhh....it's like a loose pair of pants you put on at the end of the day. Wait, does that make Ning my "fat pants?"

Generation Y's Goal

This week, I have been reading Elizabeth Gilbert's book Eat, Pray Love. I've only read part one so far about how she learns to experience sensual (note: different from sexual) pleasure in Italy, mostly through food. It made me think about how the children I teach in technology class are soooooo all about gratifying their own pleasures. Every game we play or lesson they learn, they want to know how they will be rewarded. For a hard-working, internally driven person like myself, I see this as selfishness and weakness. A USA article I read recently helped me to see it differently:
Generation Y's Goal? Wealth and Fame
Essentially, 81% of 18-25 year olds cite being rich as their #1 goal and 51% said being famous. This is the first generation who is growing up seeing themselves as stars on American Idol, The Real World and the Apprentice. They think their lives are suitable for entertaining consumption on My Space and Facebook. Each is a modern day Narcissus. How do we help children whose worldview is shaped by this outlook?