Virtual Case Study
Presented By:
Jes Berndt, Marnika Gibson, Paula Rosenberg
Grand Valley State University
Presentation
What is Facebook.com?
One Stop Electronic Communication
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•
•
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Online journal
Message Board
Instant Messenger
E-mail
Facebook.com Profile
Why use Facebook.com?
• Communicate with friends from college
• Reconnect with friends from high school, past
institutions, hometown
• Information about events and social gatherings
(school sponsored of off-campus)
• Everyone is doing it (trendy)
• Personal expression (opinions, interests, etc.)
Safety and Privacy Concerns
• Electronic information is not private
• Postings are not secure
• Option to list complete address, phone number,
and other personal information
• Others can read personal information (including
staff members, ex-partners, etc.)
• Electronic communication should not replace
human interaction
Tutorial
Why is this necessary?
• Recent campus events (example?)
• Lack of understanding about Facebook.com
• Logistical issues (safety, security, etc.)
• Academic concerns (time away from studying)
What we decided to include
• Address safety issues
• Privacy issues
• Information the students might not be
aware of
What questions will be asked
The Test
Informational Question
What types of electronic communication do
you use? (Please check all that apply)
_e-mail _instant messenger
_Facebook
_online journal/blog
_chat room(s) _myspace _personal website
1. How secure do you think your
personal information is on Facebook?
1=not secure at all, 2=somewhat unsecure
3=not sure, 4=somewhat secure,
5=completely secure
__1 __2 __3 __4 __5
2. Please indicate if the
statement below is true or false
I have control and knowledge of all
references to my likeness on Facebook.
____True ____False
3. Please indicate if the
statement below is true or false
My institution may legally use Facebook to
enforce policies and laws.
___True ___False
4. Please answer the multiple
choice question below
Who is responsible for your information and
safety online?
1. Your College/University ___
2. Facebook ___
3. Your Parents ___
4. Yourself ___
5. Please answer the multiple
choice question below
Who should my username and password be
available too?
1. Myself only ___
2. My roommate ___
3. University officials ___
4. The government ___
6. Please indicate if the
statement below is true or false
I have the right to disseminate harassing
messages on Facebook.
___True ___False
7. Please indicate if the
statement below is true or false
I have a right to publish racist, homophobic,
and/or sexist remarks on Facebook?
___True ___False
Evaluation of Tutorial
• Pre- and Post-test for all students
• Control group: current student complete posttest without benefit of tutorial
• Participant evaluation
• Review of disciplinary cases involving electronic
medium – compare before and after tutorial
On-going Evaluation
• Annually: online technology is ever-changing
• Annual review of Facebook.com and related
sites
• Tutorial updates as warranted by evaluations
• Proposal: Ad-hoc committee becomes standing
committee
• All evaluation measures will be responsibility of
committee
Faculty and Staff
• Information and photograph posting: students
may post photos without knowledge or consent
• Registered Facebook.com users do not have
control of others’ listings and photo albums
• “Walls” - discussion boards, messages are
public from user and others
Support from recent literature
The Chronicle of Higher Education
http://chronicle.com/jobs/2006/01/2006012301c.htm
Boston.com (News Resource)
http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2004/09/17/on
line_adversaries/
The Missourian
http://columbiamissourian.com/news/story.php?ID=16840
HillZoo
http://www.hillzoo.com/index.php?id=922
Inside Higher Ed
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2005/10/03/online
What did your committee learn
from this project
• What you put on-line is public information and
can cause self incrimination
• Students can post photographs of other
students,staff, or faculty without their permission
or prior knowledge
• Someone can look up a person’s information on
Facebook and steal her/his identity
What did your committee learn
from this project cont.
• The content of “groups” that students create on
Facebook is not monitored
• People can look up students’ personal
information, including their class schedule and
use this information in negative way (i.e. stalking
a student or braking into a student’s room when
they know s/he will be in class)