creepy_treehouse

Just in time for Halloween, this session looks at the [|Creepy Treehouse] and how to avoid it! Some of the questions we might address: At what point does an instructor using web 2.0 tools become intrusive? What are the concerns regarding power and lack thereof, student motivation, resistance to learning, appropriate and inappropriate uses of tools in LMS systems, etc.? As advocates of educational technology, where do we draw the line and what are best practices?
 * Don't creep me out! (Patty Brown, Instructional Designer, Biomanufacturing Training & Education Center,** **NCSU and** **and Libby Evans, Academic Outreach Consultant, UNC-CH****)**

Bostock 039, 10:45 - 11:30 am

Presentation:

Session notes:

morning session: creepy treehouses Initial thoughts from participants: there's an important distinction between social networking for professional purposes and instructional usesinstitutional policy, privacy questionsbuy-in from students and teachers to make learning happen rather than focus on toolssocial networks for meetings/networkinguniversity-developed networks (i.e. nursing school ning) vs. existing networksvery creepy: concerns with safety, recordkeeping vs. student ownership of toolsissues wrt underage students? creepiness for us: edges between personal and professional bleed over, not always as plannedinternational issues/different cultural norms, privacy law, property rights good definition of "creepy treehouse": http://flexknowlogy.learningfield.org/2008/04/09/defining-creepy-tree-house/ comment: "I had never heard the term before today, but I've felt it"Q: is it possible that students who are uncomfortable with worlds colliding are still in the transition to sharing those spaces? (gut answer: students are more used to negotiating these things than we are; why assume that students have the same comfort level issues that we do?) terms of service - various services, applies to academic as well as non-academic tools! (But what does this have to do with the creepy?) exercise: examples of what's creepy, why, how to avoid? - creepy facebook - because it's invasive - institutional guidelines - social network tools integrated in Bb - boundaries between social life and academic tools - separation - history/versioning in wikis - "we're watching you" factor - go back to using word - faculty attending a primarily student social event - faculty eavesdropping on students outside - don't attend. But other comments say this is a bad way out of the problem; if students are the ones doing the including, the creepiness is gone.

Attendees were asked to answer three questions on index cards. See the slides to read the questions, but shortly, 1) Name something that might be a creepy tree house, 2) Why might it be creepy? 3) What could be done to remove the creepiness?

1. Facebook 2. It's not private, even though it says it is. 3. Not being part of it.

1. Facebook 2. Invasive 3. Guidelines

1. Any network (Facebook or Ning) that allows anyone to join. 2. No way to validate who is joining. 3.

1. Ning. ie. http://ischoolsocialconnect.ning.com based on idea by Proctor and Gamble executed as www.beinggirl.com 2. Administered by a university to high school. The environment is contrived. 3. Less control?

1. Social network tools that are integrated into course management systems (Blackboard, Sync) 2. Integration of academiuc and social life--lack of boundaries. 3. Clean separation between academic and social life

1. Faculty attending a primarily student social event like a student organization reception 2. Faculty can hear informal student conversation and observe students outside the classroom 3. Don't attend the reception. Be responsible but not overbearing.

1. Requiring that students use Facebook for a course. 2. In Facebook, you only have one profile. You can't have multiple profiles so students are forced to blend their personal lives with the professional/educational lives. 3. Facebook could allow individuals to have multiple profiles.