Views Through the Generations
Teachers
As part of project, we needed to compare attitudes towards social networking from an older generation's perspective. We did this by completing a survey on some teachers from Wellington East Girls' College. We collected a wide range of views on social networking. Here are some common views that are held by the teachers:
Teacher 1
What are your views on social networking?
I think if used properly it is great. It can give freedom to how people work and when they work. It can also link countries more easily to do business and share ideas around the world. Someone in NZ can fix a problem for a UK company during the day (their night-time) and have the problem fixed ready for 9 am UK time. Academics can conference and share ideas over a distance. Families can keep in contact and share visual info e.g. pictures of family events for those who missed it to see. Personally I love social networking and use it to keep in contact with people and gather/share information with people. I use it as a resource. I do think the gossiping can become malicious and information is not always accurate. You have to use your own judgement.
How do you feel about the amount of time that people spend on social networking?
Again it depends how they are using social networking. Networking is a key skill and useful in most future careers. It can save a lot of time re-inventing the wheel yourself, as people can easily share ideas and skills.
Do you feel that it is right for the younger generations to use social networking so often?
Depends how they are using it. Face to face socially can be better, but social networking can be really good for study and learning new skills in all areas. You can access teachers' outside of school hours and from other schools (e.g. www.studyit.org).
Teacher 2
What are your views on Social Networking?
I think it's fascinating. As a Media Studies teacher it's one of those technological advances that is interesting to keep an eye on – it is changing the way we communicate. The format is in many ways getting shorter and shorter, from blogs to status updates to 'tweets', which could be worrying some people, in that it seems we are less articulate and not capable of expanding on our thoughts. I think it is tied into our egos in an interesting way, how our 'friends' can be measured and we check for new updates and messages hopefully, and are disappointed if there aren't any. It's also interesting how the lines between our public and private lives are blurring – we know a lot more about each other than we would have in the past. That is both a good and bad thing.
How do you feel about the amount of time people spend on Social Networking?
I'm sure it would be surprising how much time some people spent online doing social networking, but often they are multi-tasking. So, they might be downloading some new music, while they're researching something for an assignment and they have a chat programme on in the background as well. I don't think it should be demonised as having no value, though. As a grown-up, I spend time on Facebook and it's a great way to keep up with what my friends are doing and thinking – friends who I don't see very often. I would never choose social-networking over face-to-face interaction, but it's good to have it easily accessible.
Do you feel that it is right for the younger generations to use social networking so often?
I think it's a natural extension of socialising – in 'my day' we just used to ring each other up every night and talk for half an hour or we even wrote letters, if people moved away. I think the purpose and effect of social networking is really similar – you're just staying in contact with friends in a different way. I guess if it interferes with 'normal' social activity like family time or hobbies or homework, then it would be getting into the category of addiction,
which would be worrying. But essentially, I think social networking is a good thing for young people. Communicating in any way has to be good at that age.
Teacher 3
What are your views on Social Networking?
Waste of time.
How do you feel about the amount of time people spend on social networking?
Sad. When you add the hours in a day spent on line (texting as well as on line)
it is a huge proportion of life when you could be developing your own life skills.
I do not think that gossiping is of any use to development. Whatever happened to reading?
Do you feel that it is right for the younger generations to use social networking so often?
No. I think social networking is the most unsociable activity that has been devised. Younger people think that being in touch is socialising but all it does is make them totally dependent on others. Whatever happened to independence?
Teacher 4
What are your views on social networking?
I don't do it myself on online. Instead I like to meet people for coffee. I have made a conscious decision not to join Facebook. Firstly because I think I could become hooked looking up what people are doing, secondly, I barely have time to email friends so I don't need another site to visit. Honestly my life isn't that interesting that I could stick something up everyday. Do I really care what people are drinking when they log on or what their cat is doing...... NO! I also don't want to be accessible by everyone. I like anonymity, especially in a job like teaching where you meet thousands of people over the years. Friends of mine have also used it to find dates/partners which is cool but not my kind of thing.
How do you feel about the amount of time people spend on social networking?
I'd much rather talk to someone on the phone. That way you can at least hear inflections in their voice. I find it too hard to read mood or emotion into texts or Facebook brief replies.
Do you feel that it is right for the younger generations to use social networking so often?
I feel fine about it, but I do think there is a time and place for networking i.e. not texting in class. I also hope that socialising is mostly done in person rather than on line.