Digital Blog Post F: Chapter 8

These are the three concepts from Ch. 8 that I found to be most informative:

1. Social Networking for Educators
2. Strategies for Using Email and Texting
3. Strategies for Moderating Online Discussions

I guess one way to view social networking for educators is just teachers using the internet to chat with other teachers and students.  From my perspective an online class is basically a social network for students and teacher, as they communicate together to ask questions and carry the task of completing assignments through online messaging rather than physical interaction.  Granted, the concept of using social networking during a physical class is most likely unnecessary, unless the student is instructed the teacher to do otherwise.  Social networking for some students make interaction with teachers a lot easier for them, but for me I do prefer physical conversations between teachers and students because it allow for teachers to form proper friendships with students which will provide them with longer lasting impressions.

Now I did not know that there were actual strategies for emails and text, but I guess there is good amount of reasoning behind when it comes to who you are addressing in the email or text.  If I was sending a email or text to my instructor then it would most wise to approach them with an email that shows professionalism that indicates the seriousness of the message.  I would NEVER send a message to a teacher that addresses them in the same casual manor I would do with a family member or friend, as teachers are the superiors and therefore needed to be treated with the utmost respect that they expect our their students.  When I become an educator I know would expect my students to message in the same regards if they were speaking to me in the classroom.

Lastly, there is the concept that help builds adequate relationships and learning new information in the social networking administration known as online discussions.  For me, online discussions can either be very interesting and helpful or boring and not very informative based on how in-depth the discussions are.  Another problem I have had with online discussions before is that when people apply their opinions in discussions that are only supposed to be based on scientific facts and evidence.  Overall online discussions are without a doubt very useful when proper guidelines are set in place to provide the required criteria for the discussions.

Photo credit to Jon Mott on Flickr

References 
 Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.