Carley's+personal+opinion

It is my personal opinion, though it seems quite obvious, that these 'digital natives' we speak about are not going anywhere. In fact, they are only going to become more populous and more technologically savvy as the years go on. The only way for teachers to get used to this new age of students is to embrace their digital world and try to incorporate as much of their world into the classroom setting. The more comfortable and familiar a student feels within a classroom, the more involved they will be in the learning, and the more effective that learning will be.

Although social networking sites, such as Facebook, may provide many new issues such as worries over privacy, cyber bullying, and the loss of face time in favour of digital communication, I believe that with proper monitoring and one's careful attention to the amount of time spent on these sites, they can prove to be beneficial ways of connecting people, in the long run. A student must still be involved in extracurricular activities and leave enough time for schoolwork in the evenings. If more time is spent on a social networking site, rather than on the more important priorities, then that is when sites like Facebook become a problem.

Parents must also be aware of the amount of information that their child is displaying on these sites. Perhaps, by asking their son or daughter to view their personal profile every so often, they can be sure that their child is not displaying inappropriate pictures, too much personal information (such as a home address or phone number), and that his or her friends truly //are// friends - not just strangers who have randomly decided to send him or her a friend request. When used safely, Facebook and other sites like it can be amusing modes of chatting with friends and sharing photographs with those that a person trusts.