Claudia+Social+Networking+Assignment+1

Assignment #1
Expected time to complete this assignment: 10 minutes.

After you have attended the webinar and read the blog pages about social networking, your individual homework assignment this week is to contribute to a list of Pros and Cons about the use of social networking media in a faith formation context.


 * Pros **


 * Great tool for reaching large groups within the community (Claudia McIvor)
 * I think Facebook....
 * Keeps disciples up to date with the culture. Dolly Vail
 * Today’s children come to class aware and emerged already in some form of social media. As Catechist we can leverage this knowledge to enrich their learning experience. With social media, Catechists can foster collaboration and discussion, create meaningful dialogue, exchange ideas, and boost student interaction.
 * Social media is an effective way to increase student engagement and build better communication skills. Students who rarely raise a hand in class may feel more comfortable expressing themselves. Social networking platforms can enable Catechists to establish "back channels" that foster discussion and surface ideas that students are too shy or intimidated to voice out loud.
 * Facebook and Twitter can enhance communication among students and Catechists. Catechists can answer students' questions via a Facebook page or Twitter feed, post homework assignments and lesson plans, send messages and updates, schedule or announce upcoming events, and share interesting Web sites and multimedia content. Students can use Twitter to get help from instructors or other students. A great way for Catechists to give participation points in addition to in class participation is by having students tweet about something that was discussed in class.
 * Reaching God's people at their convenience.
 * It will be really helpful for RCIA participants to continue conversations begun in sessions and scripture or to reflect.
 * Great way to evangelize and catechize in a non- threatening way.
 * Social networking can reach more people in less time
 * Build a community of believers
 * Reaches people with short, quick bits of information that they can choose to explore further or not.
 * In this time of budget reduction it can save time and energy vs. individual emails or phone calls.
 * Builds awareness of and connection to the Universal Church
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Extends the reach of parish life
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Allows for immediate messages to be shared in your flock. __ **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Kellie De Leo ** __
 * ====way to connect to many in a short time with only one entry. Everyone can respond too. In most cases it is also a cost effective way to communicate. (Linda Anderson)====
 * Limitless opportunities to connect with friends around the world, to share information and collaborate in real time worlwide be in written form or live video. -**Jose Amaya**
 * **a great way to connect with parents and let them know what is going on in their child(ren)'s classrooms with links for them to explore these topics further for their continued faith formation (Mary Smith)**
 * **another avenue to let parishioners know about events and opportunities (Mary Smith)**
 * **This is where you type**
 * **provides, immediate, up to date information (Sallwasser)**
 * **connects community (Sallwasser)**
 * **provides links to more resources (sallwasser)**
 * **allows community to delve as deep and as frequently as they wish (Sallwasser)**
 * **connect catechists who often don't have the time to meet in face time with their peers (Sallwaser)**
 * **Allows a group of people to receive the same information**
 * Allows us to use the "language" of the people whom we are reaching out to.//(M.L.Sweeney)//
 * //Can reach many pe//ople at one time.//(M.L.Sweeney)//
 * Can include communication that goes beyond using our ears and minds to engaging our hearts through visual story telling music etc. //(M.L.Sweeney)//
 * Allows for a printable record of conversations/discussions/tweets which has some dimension of equalizing everyone's voice. Very seldom have our face-to-face classrooms been equipped with recording devices. //(Barbara F.)//

While providing immediate information and access this medium concurrently allows others to respond who might not respond to traditional ways of communicating Folks like me are comfortable sharing in group settings and process albeit sometimes too quickly. Folks like my husband need time to process without noise an distraction. I see this serving two basic needs. (KKHuey)


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Cons **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;">Must be continually aware of what is being shared (Claudia McIvor)


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">In Exodus 33:11 we read that "the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend." I think face to face friendships are closer than Facebook friendships.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">The hours per day of face-to-face socializing have declined as the use of social media has increased.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">People who use these sites frequently are prone to social isolation. Some people are so caught up in the technology they forget the value and rewards of direct contact with people.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Parents spend less time with their children and couples spend less time together even when they live in the same house, because they are using the Internet instead of interacting with each other.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Cyber bullying could be a threat
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">You have to manage time wisely on social sites. Could become another thing on my to-do list Balance is needed so that postings are relevant and timely.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Necessary to validate information for accuracy on specific subjects.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Inappropriate postings.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Lack of awareness of correct usage or purpose of a particular site.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Engaging "friends" with people not known to you.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Lack of supervision/guidance of young people who use one of the social networking platforms either naively or inappropriately.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Creating the appearance of acceptable behavior due to overwhelming numbers of people with your same "belief".
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">People are uncomfortable having information about themselves on the internet. I am one of those.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">What you see isn't always what you get...
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Requires a constant attention to be updated on security / privacy / etc.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Gives a sense of being anonymous so can write what would never think of saying face to face
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Not all people have access to social networking and some just prefer not to
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">The ability to communicate faster also leads to information overload.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Nothing is private. Once it is out there it is out there.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Many users are not familiar internet. People in the parish may not know how to use the tools on the internet.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 1.5;">Brief entries are can be easily misunderstood. __**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Kellie De Leo **__
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">You always have to be thinking safety and what's appropriate as you post. Trying to be clear and understood sometimes has complications - we don't always come across as well as being in the same room with a person. (Linda Anderson)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Nothing is private and even an employer can place restrictions. Think safety and communicate with charity. **-Jose Amaya**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**must be monitored frequenly for inappriorate use (Sallwasser)**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**not putting all your eggs in the digial basket, as not all in community have same level of comfort with digitial world (sallwasser)**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Some will tune out is they feel overwhelmed with amount of communication (Sallwasser)**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**depending on what/how many sites are being used...this can become a very time consuming addition to job duties (Mary Smith)**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**as mentioned above already...concerns about security/accuracy/timeliness/appropriateness of information...all issues that would require a high degree of vigilance (Mary Smith)**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Promotes a level of friendship that may not actually exist. (LaVeta)**
 * Technology is constantly changing so one must be comfortable with change. (Dolly)
 * //Miscommunication can be a problem with out face to face contact that gives other clues about our tone. ( as a funny example: I started working in a new parish this year. All year in the bulletin I put the schedule for Jr. & Sr. High. I meant Junior and Senior High but a group of people were interpreting it as Juniors and Seniors in High School and never asked for clarification until the last months of classes. What made it especially frustrating was the fact that we didn't even offer anything for those upper grades.)(M.L.Sweeney)//
 * //We want people to be more than mere "followers" shallowly watching but not really engaging with Jesus Christ. If we want people to be Disciples we will need to entice them to move beyond their media worlds into the real world where they can engage with each other and experience Jesus Christ in the people whom they encounter. (M.L.Sweeney)//
 * //Not all of our people have easy access to new technologies in rural parts of the country (M. L.Sweeney)//
 * //One issue I am concerned with is brevity coupled with the overwhelming amount of information available in snippets. Some folks like fast food, others a feast - I am worried about folks gorging in snippets without understanding or desiring to go deeper. I have heard research inferring that the human brain is changing based on the use of technology. Maybe this is what the Church fathers worried about with the advent of the printing press. KKHuey//
 * Too much technology that is quickly changing, not enough time in a work day and not enough time for learning and relearning, and does social networking make me more productive, more efficient? I found a quote that is quite thought provoking: **//"Powerful new technologies provide great benefits, but they also change the way we live, and not always in ways that everyone likes."//** ~ Martin Baily, PhD, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution //(B//arbara //F.)//

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