Concerns about the Digital Trail
I finished the third section of ED119, where the course introduces educators to several methods of collaborating and communicating with students, including Facebook, Twitter, and Skype. I have several concerns, however, about the "Digital Trail". Our university keeps EVERY email we send out and receive via our school account because of some sort of requirement to be able to trace all communications. All these external tools bypass that requirement. Isn't that a formula for troulble?
For example, suppose a student claims an instructor made several inappropriate remarks or invitations....how do you prove or disprove that? What about a student who starts bullying another student, or even their own teacher?
Thoughts?
I have simular concerns, I have been told that we should use our company txt/ e-mail to students so that it can be tracked. I also make sure that only appropriate dialog is used. I also set up a business facebook account that allows students to contact me but I do not "friend" them untill after they have graduated. I also edit that site as needed. I think this will help the student to have a place to contact/ convers without all the spam, embarasing pictures/ or unwanted content. The other nice thing about this is my private life is not interacting with my students, also, there is a trail so I can prove or disprove any issue.
