1

The Whole World is Watching:An Introduction To Responsible Social Media and Web Use

Laura Lambeth, Claire Maginness, & Aaron Taliaferro

Texas Tech University

2

Two Views at Middle College• Embracing: Cutting edge technology is essential to the

educational experience. It is important to begin utilizing technology in classes to enhance student engagement.

• Distrusting: There is a misuse or abuse of technology in the news. Social media can be harmful through comments about other people, stalking, harassment, and Twitter comments about other peers and faculty. This behavior is being named “electronic incivility.” Students need to learn that their “fun” might come back to haunt them in an internship or job search.

3

• Social Media Committee was formed to create a possible “home base” for social media presence at MC that acknowledges both distrusting and embracing views of technology, web use, and social media.

• Social Media Committee has established a collection of resources and programs that show prospective and current students the creative & safe ways technology and social media are being used in the curriculum and co-curriculum.

• It is important to show benefits, challenges, and potential consequences of posting social or unprofessional comments and images.

MC Social Media Committee

4

Goals For Our Practice• We need to look at the population of current and

incoming students at MC to guide our work:• How do these students view technology?• Developmentally, what is the best way to engage students

as we address issues surrounding technology and social media?

• What are our current activities, and how can we incorporate social media and technology best practices into our campus culture?• “The Whole World is Watching” Campaign• Current Student Web Use Agreements• New Student Orientation • Website and Promotional Material for MC

5

How Do MC Students View Technology?• Online Privacy: Conceptual and Technological

Difficulties (Junco & Chickering, 2010)• Impact of lack of nonverbal communication • Cyber bullying, detrimental information usage, harassment

• 45 percent of employers check social media profiles during the hiring process (CareerBuilder.com)

• Increased usage of cell phones, social media sites, and web information sites

6

Foundational Theories:Guiding Our Practice• Based on Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Reasoning, for students

to further understand their social media actions and the effects they have on other people, it is important to challenge their ways of thinking and to teach them to see things from a different perspective.

• To contribute to moral stage development, it is important to:• Be exposed to higher-stage thinking• Be exposed to situations that arouse internal contradictions in

their moral reasoning structures or when they find that their reasoning is different from that of significant others (Kohlberg, 1976)

7

• Using Astin’s ideas, it is important to concentrate on how we, as educators, can facilitate the development of the students involved instead of concentrating on where they are developmentally.

• “The effectiveness of any educational policy or practice is directly related to the capacity of that policy or practice to increase student involvement” (Astin, 1984).

• Using Astin, the goal is to get the students actively engaged with social media and to create learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom.

Foundational Theories:Guiding Our Practice

8

Incorporating Technology Into the Classroom

• Make a formal institutional commitment to supporting institutional pluralism

• Recognize the educational value of open sharing and examination of diverse views

• Recognize that online forms of expression are as important to student development as traditional oral and written expressions;

• Emphasize the importance of respect and civility• Junco & Chickering 2010

9

Incorporating Technology Into the Classroom• Emphasize the critical need for valid information, solid

evidence, and explicit information about sources;• Spell out expected positive behaviors and sanctions for

negative actions;• Require that personal identification be part of all

communications and interactions; and• Designate a clear locus of responsibility for monitoring

online communications and interactions, and for strengthening the educational uses of these emerging communication and interaction technologies.

• Junco & Chickering, 2010

10

Incorporating Technology Into New Student Orientation

• Emphasize the eight themes mentioned; education and information are key• Understanding how social media can impact students• Understanding how law and social media intertwine• Advocating awareness and “netiquette”

• Junco & Chickering, 2010

Student Orientation Program

The Whole World is Watching:An Introduction To Responsible Social Media and Web Use

Why it is important to use appropriate social networking etiquette?

Reputation Matters:• Current and future employers and law enforcement

are inclined to use social networking sites to do their due diligence.

Proper Netiquette

Student Orientation Program

Companies conduct security checks for job applicants that may include security team browsing social networks:

• Unrestricted profiles can leave open displays of “unacceptable behavior”

• Profile pictures and picture galleries can tell the story of you and your lifestyle (whether outside of work or not)

• “Emotional” rants (statuses) can paint the wrong picture for prospective employer

Professional Consequences

Student Orientation Program

Facebook may act as your resume!

Student Orientation Program

Many companies have on policies on computer/internet/electronic communication usage during company hours and on company properties, which may include:

1. Restrictive use of social networks

2. Limitations on use of company property for personal communication

3. Use of company time and resources

Professional Consequences

Student Orientation Program

You represent your school!Student Orientation Program

Could your Facebook picture be your company access badge?

Facebook Profile pic

Company Access Badge

=

Student Orientation Program

The Patriot Act gives law enforcement more unfettered access to your records.

Social network profiles are being used to communicate with

criminal suspects and gather data about people

Poor “netiquette” towards others can be used as evidence in the court of law. There are statutes against it in ALL 50 states. Consequences range from misdemeanor to felony charges.

Unlawful use of Social Networks

Student Orientation Program

Cyber stalking-the use of the internet, email or other electronic communications to stalk, and generally refers to a pattern of threatening of malicious behaviors

Cyber harassment-usually pertains to threatening or harassing email messages, instant messages, blog entries or websites dedicated solely to tormenting an individual.

Cyber bullying-sometimes interchangeable with cyber harassment however can specifically pertain to electronic harassment and bullying of Minors. Also, often used in cases where the incidents occur towards students. (No matter what type of school or grade level).

Unlawful social networking

Student Orientation Program

20

Unlawful social networking

Unlawful social networking has become increasing popular and sometimes tragic:

Cyberbullied-Tyler Clementi of Rutgers University commits suicide after roommate and accomplice expose his sexuality through hidden webcast. (El-Ghobashy, 2010)

Cyberstalked- Several sorority members from five Southeastern Conference universities harassed via Facebook by guy pretending to be alumni of their organizations.

(Morgan, 2010)

Cyberharrassed-Woman post 17 year old girls photo and personal information on Craigslist, girl began to receive lewd messages and pictures from adult males. Assailant charged with felony. (The Dreamin Demon, 2009)

• Violation charges range from misdemeanor to felonies!

Unlawful use of Social Networks

Student Orientation Program

22

SUMMER READ:

Educate incoming students on:

1. Institutional policies and violations of social media uses

2. Criminal consequences of improper social media use

3. Professional consequences of poor social media representation

Student Orientation Program

The Whole World is Watching:How Middle College is Educating the Community

23

24

MC Social Media Policy

25

MC Social Media Policy

The Whole World is Watching:An Introduction To Responsible Social Media and Web Use

Future Use, Assessment, and Adapting practice

26

27

ReferencesAstin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College

Student Personnel, 25, 297-308.

El-Ghobashy, T. (September 30, 2010) Suicide Follows a Secret Webcast. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704116004575522410465437660.html.

FreeSpiritPublishing. [video file] Teen cyberbullying investigated: Where do your rights end and consequences

begin? Retrieved from http://youtu.be/BNV28aEAOPk.

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2011/10/03/can-facebook-help-find-young-alcoholics.html.

Kohlberg, L. (1976). Moral stages and moralization: The cognitive-developmental approach. In T. Lickona

(Ed.), Moral development and behavior: Theory,research, and social issues (pp. 31-53). New

York: Holt.

28

References continuedJunco, R. & Chickering, A. W. (2010). Civil Discourse in the Age of Social Media. American College

Personnel Association and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Retrieved from wileyonlinelibrary.com.

Just90tv. [video file] Social media policy for your business- an example. Retrieved from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zmud_gPSdg&feature=youtu.be.

Morgan, S. (December 20, 2010) LSU Police locate Florida man accused of harassing students via Facebook.

NBC33. Retrieved from http://www.nbc33tv.com/facebook/lsu-police-locate-florida-man-

accused-of-harrassing-students-via-facebook.

National Conference of State Legislatures (January 26, 2012) State Cyberstalking, cyberharassment and cyberbullying

laws. NCLS. Retreived from http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/telecommunications-information-

technology/cyberstalking-cyberharassment-and-cyberbullying-l.aspx.

The Dreamin’ Demon. (August 2009) Elizabeth Thrasher faces four years over Craigslist ad. The Dreamin’ Demon. Retrieved

from http://www.dreamindemon.com/2009/08/19/elizabeth-thrasher-faces-four-years-over-craigslist-ad/.