Facebook & the Freshman

Facebook has revolutionized higher education (and probably the world at large as well!). From a primarily post-secondary perspective, Facebook has provided its users with a chance to connect with one another on a sub-human real-time level. A few recent articles point out that freshmen are a primary audience for the type of information that Facebook provides. They can look up prospective roommates, receive recommendations about course scheduling and professors, and find out what the campus culture is before they even arrive on campus. If this is where students, both prospective and current, are getting information about their university shouldn't the university itself have some desire to control content?

I use Facebook groups to run an informal discussion group for students who are undecided about majors and careers, or who have questions about the process it takes to become a professional. The program is called READY (Researching, Exploring, and Developing Yourself). Facebook allows students from all across campus to come together at whatever time is best for them and interact with one another through discussion boards, videos, and posted links. This group is monitored closely for any inaccurate or otherwise inappropriate information. Since I have only been working with the group for a semester, I don't have much data regarding its success or failure. What I do know though, is that it's providing accurate information to students in a forum that they are already occupying.

There are forums out there, however, where students are receiving inaccurate information about their university or college. Groups like "Class of 2012" are filled with incoming students being fed information from upperclassmen that is frequently correct, but occasionally errant. I propose that institutions create "Facebook monitors". These people would be employees of the university and be sure that information disseminated online was of factual quality. Even better, universities could create their own official "Fan Pages" or "Groups" and consistently monitor the information provided there.

Of course there are drawbacks to this method. Students may not enjoy the fact that administrators are invading their space. While on the website, university administrators may find photos or text which doesn't fall in line with the university's mission or code of conduct. Would such infractions have to be reported? I believe they should.

One of the goals of higher education is to increase social awareness and create a responsible, well-rounded citizen. Teaching students how to behave online is a new skill set which universities must start to teach. I would love thoughts and comments...