December 5, 2007
Middle Georgia College Blocks Facebook and MySpace in Academic Buildings
Frustrated that some students were using library computers for personal use while others needed the machines for homework, officials at Middle Georgia College began blocking access to social-networking sites in some campus locations this fall.
“It’s not that we’re opposed to people doing social networking and socializing,” said Mary Ellen Wilson, vice president for academic affairs, in an interview Tuesday. “There are other open labs on campus where they can do that.”
She says no one has complained to her about the policy. But an article in a local newspaper in Macon, Ga., quotes one student as being frustrated that he can no longer check Facebook between classes.
Have other colleges adopted similar blocking of Facebook and MySpace in libraries and classroom buildings? Is that a good idea?
Many librarians themselves are enthusiastic Facebook users. Several college librarians have written in this week noting their use of Facebook, after I invited Wired Campus readers to join my friend group. Among my other new virtual friends are graduate students, professors, and administrators, indicating that there’s more happening on Facebook than just students wasting time. Or are those in academe just learning the joys of wasting a few minutes here and there? —Jeffrey R. Young
Posted on Wednesday December 5, 2007 | Permalink |Comments
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We, in higher ed, simply must come to terms with Web 2.0/social networking/ etc. Because K-12 sure as heck are not even acknowledging it, creating parallel universes of technology use in the “real world”, as opposed to the “world as educators see it”...
— Lee Dec 5, 10:13 PM #
The “feed on demand” mentality that has evolved need not always be accommodated by institutions of higher education. The idea of delayed gratification was once considered a hallmark of a healthy civilized order, and education was seen as one vehicle for encouraging it. Like the restrictions on cell phone use in movie theaters, I think this is a good idea and an example of the direction that higher ed should be taking.
— Ken Dec 6, 09:17 AM #
I wish they would do that at my university. Also, they should block people from listening to music on school computers… half of the people I see in the library using computers are wearing headphones and don’t even have the decency to turn it down so that it doesn’t bother other people.
— Crystal Dec 6, 09:32 AM #
As a 9-12 English teacher, I like the ban on MySpace. When students’ knowledge of proxy servers occasionally get them around this ban, they use these sites to discuss out of school social activities and avoid doing classwork. In a high school setting at least, I find MySpace to be a menace to the learning environment.
— Former EIC Dec 6, 09:35 AM #
Why stop with social networking spaces? There are many other distractions that impact the integrity of higher education in the classroom including internet surfing and cell phones. Is there technology out there that universities could install to block wireless internet and cell phone signals in the classroom if the professor chooses to use it? It sure would be nice.
— Brian Dec 6, 02:18 PM #
Students now are social learners, informal collaborators on networking sites like MySpace and Facebook. By eliminating student access to these sites this College limits opportunities to have that kind of interaction that enhances a community of learners. Since the article doesn’t note any systematic review of communication being done on these sites this College may have just “closed the books” on the way students are actually learning today.
— Marie Kennedy Dec 6, 02:19 PM #
As a former MGC student, I can see where the administration is coming from. When computing space is limited in a setting where students need the resources to hunt down library references and to otherwise work on assignments, some form of social networking control may be needed. Note that residential areas are not being regulated. Even when I was there, it was a struggle to find an open computer to pursue my academic studies, even though the distraction then was primarily email checking. I can’t imagine the timesuck that facebook/myspace created in more recent times, and I have enjoyed both of these websites, albeit on my own time and computer.
— Jeremy Newton Dec 6, 09:50 PM #
Sure, people use social networking sites as major time-wasters. But they also use them as learning tools. They submit questions to friends and user-groups. They gather online to collaborate. I would hate to see libraries and universities take this away because of others who use it to loaf.
— Carlo Dec 7, 12:07 PM #
The past 10 times I have attempted to print papers at my college (I bring my laptop, but can not print things unless I use school labs) – all of the labs have been jam packed, with nearly half of the computers being used to look at myspace or facebook.
I agree that at times students use these networks for school use – I am a peer mentor and many of my students ask me questions about papers through myspace – but the majority on these students that I see are only looking at half-naked or drunken pictures of their friends.
I think it is a wonderful idea to block access to these sites within a couple of the labs on campus. Not all perhaps, but maybe the ones that have access to much needed printers or databases.
As for blocking cell phone signals within classrooms, this would defeat the purpose of emergency alert systems and would be highly criticized I believe.
— CrysD Dec 13, 04:34 PM #