Degrees of Separation Just what are our students doing on Facebook

1
Degrees of Separation?Just what are our students
doing on Facebook?

• Directors of Learning and Teaching Forum
• September 2007

2
Introduction

• Youve been poked
• 100 hours for every 10 credits of study
• How many hours a week on the net in virtual
  networking?

3
Issues for educators

• Impressions and identity theft
• Leeds Uni Freshers O7 - http//leedsac.facebook.co
  m/group.php?gid2260046304
• Appears to be a page for advertising club
  promotions
• But includes the Universitys term dates cut and
  paste from campus web

4
First impressions

• University of Leeds group
• http//leedsac.facebook.com/networks/?nk16779195
• Has over 26,000 members
• Up and coming events
• Sep 15
• Phil's gona be 21!  _at_ Our House
• Tomorrow at 300 pm until Tue Sep 18 at 600 am -
  (13 attendees)
• 22nd Piss up!  _at_ Otley Road...
• Tomorrow at 400 pm until Sun Sep 16 at 500 am -
  (14 attendees)

5
Some we like

• I go to probably the best university in the
  world..ever! (leeds chapter)
• A group for Leeds students who love Leeds uni and
  everything about Leeds uni life!
• http//leedsac.facebook.com/group.php?gid22041792
  47
• Fans of the Roger Stevens Building the 8th
  Wonder of the Architectural World
• I Go to the University of Leeds the Proper One

6
Some we dont

• Group Why is Leeds so Utterly Useless?
• Topic What could you buy that actually works for
  the amount of money Leeds takes each year?
• Message Last time i checked Leeds had 27,000
  students. If we think that the average fiscal
  contribution per student is /- 4,000 a year, we
  can then add foreign students who pay a lot more.
  that works out at about a whopping 100,000000.
  What could you buy that works for that amout of
  money?i'll start500,000000 vimto bars5555.5
  Sq/m of real estate on Chelsea Embankment

7
Ways in which we might use virtual networking
sites

• Creating groups within them
• Leeds University Careers Centre
• Leeds Alumni Group

8
Ways in which we might use virtual networking
sites

• An alternative VLE?
• Some student created groups
• Some students looking for participants in surveys
  and projects
• Witty names (e.g., Evolution Scholars A Group
  for the Naturally Selected) but not much evidence
  of academic content
• And rather a lot of slating of members of staff

9
Ways in which we might use virtual networking
sites

• Encourage teamworking?
• Gain an insight into how students work?
• lets pass second year management..learning
  together
• http//leedsac.facebook.com/group.php?gid23361864
  40

10
Ways in which we might use virtual networking
sites

• A resource for mentoring
• But looking at content there is a danger that
  some students are acting as quasi-lecturers

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Ways in which we might use virtual networking
sites

• Communicating with students
• Level 1 Biology Discussion
• http//leedsac.facebook.com/group.php?gid22197962
  56
• A group where you can discuss/post any comments
  or problems you have to do with the course.Then
  Daryl and Emma, your student reps, will feed it
  back to the committee and try and sort out any
  problems you may have.

12
Ways in which we might use virtual networking
sites

• Infiltrating sites?
• This is what some recruiters and a lot of club
  owners do.
• Or should we avoid altogether?

13
The Universitys Position

• Social Networking Sites (SNSs) such as Facebook
  and MySpace, and blogs are becoming increasingly
  useful tools. Leeds University Union and even
  some Schools make frequent use of these for
  communication purposes. Students are, however,
  requested to used such sites carefully. Neither
  the University nor LUU would in any way wish to
  inhibit freedom of expression, but students are
  reminded that any libellous, defamatory or
  personally abusive comments about other students
  or about staff or the posting of images of
  individuals without their consent could be viewed
  as bullying/harassment, and could have
  legal/disciplinary implications.
• (Taught Students Guide)

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The Universitys Position

• The University will not in any way seek to
  monitor the use of such sites, but if issues of
  concern are raised by individuals, it has a duty
  of care to investigate and take appropriate
  action. In the first instance, this would
  typically be a request to remove or amend the
  relevant text or images. However, if this request
  does not lead to a resolution, the University
  reserves the right to take action under the
  General University Disciplinary Regulations. The
  individuals concerned might also initiate legal
  action independently of the University.
• (Taught Students Guide)