Disconnecting
I realized, on my drive home, I never see anyone talk about disconnecting from networks. We all talk about the importance of connecting and building networks, but what about letting go? Sometimes people announce they are taking a break. We react with compassion. Sometimes we try to get them to change their minds. Really, it’s a highly personal choice we should respect.
I know there are unwritten rules of etiquette for blogging, twitter, Facebook, etc., but maybe we should reconsider the structure of virtual social relationships. I know some people refuse to follow people who don’t follow them. I’ve seen others offended when they aren’t made a ‘friend’ on social applications. When you make someone a friend, or you follow them on Twitter, or subscribe to their blog, it is a constant, visible connection. This is counter to natural, face-to-face relationships, where you spend periods of time apart. Maybe we need to think more about whether we need to reciprocate each virtual social connection.
This led me to think about what we’re doing with students when we place them in social networking scenarios where they are linked artificially, either to their own classmates or others selected by instructors. Is there a better way to simulate natural social interaction where the students identify connections with people who are genuinely of interest to them? Rather than teach the tool, can we teach them the dynamics of finding friends and colleagues who share similar interests? What happens when we prescribe connections and they don’t work out? Do we evaluate our students for not responding to each other’s blogs? Is there a better way to assess social learning?
June 19th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
The classroom is *inherently* an artifical environment. Even at its best it is *at best* a part-task simulation of some part of the real world.
You do what you can.
June 19th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
But is there a way to show people how to connect with others outside the classroom, instead of assigning connections?
June 20th, 2008 at 5:07 am
Jen, most definitely there are ways to facilitate students in connecting to other people online! I think that showing them how to do this, rather than just assigning connections, is actually a more meaningful activity anyway. Think about how we make connections–we find blogs we like, comment and then make connections that way. We may send an email to the author of an article or book we admire or leave a comment on someone’s YouTube video.
Of course, part of the irony of this is that kids probably could teach us a thing or two about making online connections! It’s like when I teach about networking in the physical world to people–you just have to show them how to apply skills they already have for making connections in different contexts.
June 20th, 2008 at 6:33 am
In higher ed, we do this anyway, when we pair/team students to accomplish a project. In engineering, sometimes we allow students to choose their partner and sometimes as intructors we do the pairing. Either way, it is “forced” network. Why do we do this? Because it seems that students usually learn from one another. Sometimes what you learn is that you cannot depend upon another, even if something of value is involved. Of course, these networks do have a maximum length and are not constant, like an e-connection.
June 20th, 2008 at 6:58 am
There are a couple of things I was thinking. One is that not every connection is valuable all the time. Teaching that is difficult. At any given time, some connections are more important than others. Connections come and go and we have to learn to be okay with that. Just because I’m not commenting on blogs I used to comment on doesn’t mean I devalue those connections, it’s just that for now, I’m putting my energy elsewhere. (I comment *a lot* less than I used to, sadly.) The other thing that occurred to me was the way that learning is isolated/ing. Many of our students, I think, are encouraged to do it on their own. When they have been forced into collaboration, it’s gone badly. So I think we need to work with students to help them learn how to collaborate effectively and to learn how much better their learning can be when they can rely on the ideas and input of others. It’s a hard lesson, especially for the high-achieving students I often see, but it’s one that I’ve learned myself and truly appreciate. It also just plain old makes me happier to be working with people rather than all by myself, even if my only connection to those people is through Twitter.
June 20th, 2008 at 10:49 am
I think I should have divided this into two posts, one about our networking and breaking connections, and one about the connections we create in the classroom. After reading your comments, I do see more value in the forced connections in the classroom. After all, we do have those connections in our work environments and in our families. I would like to see more opportunities for students to seek out connections.
June 20th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
You bring up interesting ideas and questions.
I’ve just begun working with these types of virtual connections in the classroom and am still pretty new to blogging and twitter although I’ve participated in yahoo groups for years and have always found those social dynamics interesting.
As you and others have said, the dynamics in the classroom are similarly artificial and, at times, forced. I often have to work with people not of my choosing, but I MUST be able to work with them.
I have spent a lot of time pondering and experimenting with these dynamics, both in the classroom and in my own social networks.
I also wanted to comment on this:
When you make someone a friend, or you follow them on Twitter, or subscribe to their blog, it is a constant, visible connection. This is counter to natural, face-to-face relationships, where you spend periods of time apart.
I don’t have this same experience. If I want to disconnect, I don’t go to twitter for a while. If I subscribe to a blog, it doesn’t mean I always read every post.
Sometimes I am on twitter a lot and other “friends” there are absent, so even though I follow them, I don’t see them. There are people I follow on twitter who I haven’t “seen” in months. So, I find that the virtual friends come and go similarly to the face to face friends.
Thanks for your insights. I really enjoy your take on things.
June 21st, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Connections in the classroom… assigning pairs or larger combinations for online collaborative efforts is a lesson in itself. The strategy provides additional insights regarding the students and the manner in which they communicate and collaborate with the others.
Connections can be momentary. Like forming ‘friendships’ on a cruise or bus trip. You meet new people, make allowances for the sake of the experience, have a good time and then at the conclusion of the trip bid fond farewells. Sometimes lasting bonds are formed, sometimes not, as Laura indicates.
As Andrea points out similar experiences happen in the workplace with projects, team formation and the like. Creating assigned groups within the classroom is an appropriate method.
I cannot help but wonder sometimes what my students could actually teach me about the process. Perhaps they could teach me a thing or two as Michelle points out but that would be about it. For many of the students in my senior classes their connections on MySpace and Facebook seemingly mirror and complement those in the playground based on their sharing. Not all have made significant connections beyond their coterie of friends other than those contributing to gaming development or a similar shared passion that knows no borders.
Cheers, John.
June 21st, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Andrea, I think what I mean is that there’s a visible indication of connection, through a friend list, or whatever the display strategy. In some services, people are notified when you disconnect, so it may cause emotional reaction.
John, thanks so much for reading, commenting and sharing classroom experiences. Do you ever notice students who don’t seem to connect at all? Do you think social media has been a positive factor for the more introverted students?
June 22nd, 2008 at 2:07 am
Jennifer, thank you. It seems that many young people are more sedentary these days. Many children do not travel far to play. Many play at home, within the confines of their yard. Parents are reluctant to allow their children to travel ‘great’ distances to play.
As a primary school student there were times when I walked 5 or so kilometres home at the end of the day when I had missed the bus. I rode my bike about 8 to 10 km to get to high school. My younger sister would be riding her bike as well. That rarely happens these days.
My friends and I would be out all day riding our bikes all over the ‘countryside’. Sure, there are young people today who get out and explore the environment. But there are many who do not.
For those young people who spend more time at home then social networks may have a positive role to play as they consolidate connections made at school and possibly beyond.
There are those that do not connect. I do not necessarily see that as a negative thing. Some young people are simply introverted. Not unusual, particularly for teenagers. I had moments growing up when I was probably introverted. I simply needed space when dealing with ’stuff’. I have seen Year 7 students come into the high school somewhat introverted yet complete Year 12 as school leaders.
Some young people connect differently in differing environments. They may be introverted at school, yet in a different envornment they may be quite outgoing. I have observed that with a number of the students taught Mandarin by my wife. At the language school they are quiet and keep to themselves yet when they come to our home for tutoring or for a visit with their parents they can be quite outgoing. And vice versa.
I know there are times when technology can be an equaliser when allows students that underachieve in one area excel in digital areas such as photography, audio, or artwork. Social networks may play a similar role for some students. This needs more exploration. I feel that the work of Danah Boyd would provide rich insights in this area.
http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/
Cheers, John.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:15 am
Thanks for the reference, John! My 7 year old is much more protected than I was as a child. I remember spending hours in the forest or riding my bike to other neighborhoods. I walked to school, cutting through people’s yards. I talked to strangers. Now, I don’t let my daughter play outside unless one of us is watching her. She is an extrovert at school and online. I don’t see any difference in the way she communicates. She participates in several virtual communities, and is constantly seeking friends. When she’s at a park in real life, she will walk up and ask kids to play with her. It will be interesting to see if her virtual and actual lives remain parallel as she grows older and social scenarios change.