Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Local educators and parents continue to harbor their own (and valid) apprehensions about the use of
Facebook in schools. Some argue that it is a distraction; others believe Facebook empowers learner
procrastination and, left unmanaged, will potentially make the learning process less effective
compared to a more structured learning system.
From an administrative point of view, one major issue is rooted in the way that Facebook is insecure
and unmoderated, limiting control for the organization. The lack of structure, boundaries and
protocols can not only lead to poor quality content, but also security threats. Organizations would be
hard-pressed to maintain standards around corporate applications, including those that manage risks.
However, what remains evident is that the wide accessibility and social nature of Facebook as a
platform is ideal for learner engagement. As Facebook’s user base and the frequency of access by
Australians continue to grow, educators who dismiss Facebook based on privacy concerns are
potentially missing an opportunity to harness social networking to inspire children to learn and share
using technology in a transparent manner.
With up to 95 percent of teenagers using Facebook and 25 percent going online constantly (Lenhart,
2015), its potential as a medium to excite and educate students is unquestionable. While Australian
school policies may not (yet) support its use, Facebook can and will be used by students to meet,
collaborate, share and learn. It is unavoidable that educators must, at some point, develop methods
to practically harness this platform.