Drape's Takes: Facebook, Ignorance, and Freaks #fb

Facebook, Ignorance, and Freaks #fb

Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Labels: facebook , welcome back

Well...

I've changed my Facebook tune and come to grips that Facebook was never an enemy any more dangerous than:

Mere incomprehension of its potential, for both good and bad.
Inadequate classroom management.
Teachers unwilling to learn.
Students that continue to stumble around in the dark.

As a result, I've opened my personal Facebook network once again to people I greatly admire, people I greatly admire and have also met in person, people I've met in person who also share the same gene pool, and freaks that I met in high school who I just can't seem to hide from.

Welcome back.

Ultimately, I've taken the last few years to come to grips with the fact that Facebook isn't the enemy in K12 environments, but that ignorance still very much is. The ignorance of teachers, with their childlike understanding of how to manage a classroom full of connected students; and the ignorance of students, with their arrogant naiveté regarding how to navigate their ever-changing digital world. I know I'm slow, but bear with me here...

Over 600 million users later, Facebook isn't the enemy. Ignorance still is.

Beginning this month, we'll be unblocking Facebook in the Canyons School District. Professional development, policy refinement, and general therapy sessions will tag along. What are you and your school doing to face the enemy?