Your Online Image #2

Your Online Image #2

You are the young manager of a local ice cream parlor that is beloved by local families. You are looking to hire some teens for the summer, when the shop is open late every evening. You require an application and at least one reference. It occurs to you that you could look on Facebook to find out a bit more about the applicants.

What might you find that would make you not hire someone?

Is there anything wrong with using Facebook in this way?

Your Online Image #1

Your Online Image #1

You've discussed in your Keynote presentations about how important it is for you to be very careful when you're online.

- be careful with your personal information

- be careful about what you say about others

- be careful about language, images, etc

- be careful about secrets, embarrassing or other personal info about others

Things that you post on line can also be damaging to your reputation - now, or in the future.

We're going to handle the blog differently the next couple of weeks.  You will be presented with different scenarios, that involve online social networking.  Respond to the question(s) asked. Give your answer some thought. 

First Scenario:

You are finally old enough to join a social networking site and set up your own profile. You spend a lot of time making the profile look cool and you have links to many friends. Your mom makes her own profile and asks you to be her “friend.” Is that fair? Explain your thinking.

You're Messed Up!

You're Messed Up!

You're addicted!  You're messed up!

Read the following articles (don't forget to read some of the commentary after the articles). They all talk about the effects on teens from social networking, texting etc - all of this "new" technology.

What are the dangers?  We're not talking about why the internet itself is dangerous - not talking about predators.  We're talking about quality of life - your time; how social networking makes you feel about the world, and how it conditions you to behave.  "Real life" vs. "online life".

Your first post should be about what the negative effects of your online life might be. How might things like social networking (Facebook, Twitter) affect you in a negative way. This is a difficult question, because you probably don't think that these things really are affecting you negatively.  You can handle it, right?

THEN, after a day or two, in your response to a fellow student's post, argue in FAVOR of social networking - how does it 'enhance' your life - how does it make your life better?

This is a 'deep topic'.  One sentence answers are NOT going to cut it, so really think about your answers, and argue your point.

How Teens View Their Digital Lives

Teens Say They're Addicted to Social Media, Texting

Don't Blame Social Media if Your Teen Is Unsocial, It's Your Fault

Safety In Our Schools

Safety In Our Schools

Read the following article, about a New Jersey school district that has armed police officers stationed at their schools:

The Record: School Safety

What do you think about this?  Do you think it's an effective way to protect our schools? Why, or why not?  What might be some other steps schools can take?


Would any of these measures have helped in the recent shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oregon? (Click HERE for info.)

Note: Be sure to post thoughtful responses to blog questions - both the initial question that I post, AND to the posts of your classmates.  "Yeah, I agree," or "Good point!" is not a complete response. 

Remember, you're carrying on a conversation, that you are contributing to!