For clarity, stop these interactions
It’s interesting how we are discussing a debate on social media interaction on the internet for students and teachers alike to be there to exchange their ideas. There is a purpose of the relationship between students and teachers in school, college or universities campuses. Firstly, why do students go to school to learn from teachers? It is my belief that students can learn from each other and that teachers are there to guide them. The universities are increasing knowledge for the betterment of future career paths.
On the internet, the ideas on personal relationships are discussed by all users, so there should be a ban on such behaviour not to operate with personal related topics in mind. So, they should stay away from the internet.
Students shouldn’t interact with teachers on the internet at all. It will save the reputation of the students’ and teachers’.
From Mr Om Prakash Sharma
Hamirpur, India
Free to choose our friends
I strongly oppose any bans on social media interactions, even if it is between students and teachers. We are intelligent human beings, and we should be free to choose our friends, online and otherwise.
From Ms Arshia Wasif Ahmad
UAE
An ineffective tool
I discussed this important topic with a friend of mine. I have two children and he has three. Connecting school students with their teachers affects teachers’ esteem and reduces the level of respect because the relation turns more causal. This would be observed by the teachers themselves quite quickly.
Moreover, educational regulators should put in place some clear rules to restrict or ban such a virtual relation in order to maintain educational discipline and prevent the sharing of information that does not help in the teaching process.
From Mr Bassel Nadim and Wael Shukri
UAE
Ban it for dignity and respect
The average age difference between teachers and students is most likely around 15 years. The evolution of social media in the 1980s was very little, and it was not so popular. Most of the teachers of that era would not like to mingle with students. The new generation of students who spend most of their free time on smartphones, browsing social media, may have different tastes than their teachers and might like to keep their teachers out of their reach.
For students, talking on the phone to their teacher is the right way to have contact, but only in case of emergency or urgent work. Sending, exchanging and sharing private photos should be banned between teachers and students. A modicum of decorum and respect has to be maintained between a student and a teacher, which will fade away if they are allowed to interact on social media. Parents should also strictly monitor their son or daughter on this subject.
From Mr S. K. Mehta
UAE
It’s a personal choice!
I don’t believe in placing or implementing such rules in schools, colleges, institution or universities that give the message that there should be no interactions between students and their teachers on social media. I believe this is totally a personal choice between the students and their teachers. At the same, I also believe such interactions on social media might affect their personal and career lives positively as well as negatively.
From Mr Qassim Mohammad
Dubai
Don’t ban, but regulate
I am someone who believes that a teacher is someone whom we respect, we adore and from whom we learn. Books and gadgets can give us lots of information however; it is nothing when compared to the same thing being taught by a teacher. This means, that we need to have interaction with the teachers but only to the extent where it is deemed fit. During our times when there was little or no social media, the interactions that we had with our teachers were completely face-to-face either at school or during classes. The present generation is extremely gifted with technology and most of them are in the public domain.
I feel that there should be rules framed for student-teacher interactions on social media, however it may not be as bad as banning it altogether. The framework can consist of rules governing the way students can interact with violations, if it can be done. However, when rules are framed, they should never be one-sided. It is not just students who should be restricted. There can be instances of teachers going overboard and rules should govern them, too. Remember that a healthy interaction can create a bond between a teacher and a student that will benefit both.
From Mr Balaji Bhushan
UAE
The barrier needs to be there
To my knowledge, teachers and students should not be linked with social media for interactional purposes. Social media is meant as a public platform. Teacher-student relationships are different from the friendships for discussing. There may not be a close friendship, but the barrier will be there.
From Mr K. Ragavan
Bengaluru, India
Could be beneficial if used properly
Social media has been facilitating people from all walks of life. In educational institutes, where students once had to wait in line to speak to their teachers, social media has given them access to speak with teachers online through social media, especially Facebook. However, a teacher-student interaction is always a sacred one and there must be respect. If a teacher accepts a student’s request to become friends of Facebook, then the student enters the teacher’s personal life and the level of respect begins to diminish.
Students do make comments and share information their teachers post on Facebook, however, it also breaks the sacred wall that has always been present between teachers and students. In my opinion, teachers should not become friends with their students, however, they can use social media for productive uses such as creating a group where all of teacher’s students can ask questions, the teacher can upload lectures and assignments and the entire class can conduct discussions. This must remain the limit. A group or a page must the boundary and teachers should not become Facebook friends with students.
From Mr M. Omar Iftikhar
Karachi, Pakistan
UAE
Do children even want this?
I know one thing: I don’t want my bosses on my Facebook! I am sure children also need to protect their personal freedom up to some limit with their teachers.
From Ms Sanjeewa Marasinghe
UAE
Use social media with limits
Here we have to ask the question: What is a healthy relationship between the student and the teacher? It is either a relationship based on prestige and keeping a professional distance or an open relationship that I believe prevails in most of our schools these days!
In my personal opinion, it is better if there is some kind of friendship between teacher and student, but within certain limits in order to maintain the prestige of the teacher. I find that a friendship through social media is healthy if the teacher used a special account to communicate with students.
From Mr Mohammad Al Hajeri
Al Ain
Depends on age
I think students should be allowed to interact with teachers to a certain limit on Facebook. I think that after passing intermediate exams, this shouldn’t be a problem.
From Mr Adil Ahmad
UAE
Leave it to their discretion
In this information age, the internet has enabled people to become much more interconnected. Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have greatly transformed this connectivity. While some people prefer to compartmentalise their social and professional lives, others do not and this is a matter of individual preference. A school is not responsible for what is done by students or teachers outside its premises as long as it is not derogatory towards the school. Also, both teachers and students have the choice to accept or block friend requests. Therefore, student-teacher interactions on social media is a matter that is best left to the individuals’ discretion.
From Ms Aisha Eapen
UAE
Parents need to take absolute care
This is an important topic with modern day relevance connecting academic and family values. Literally, every school-going child in the UAE is exposed to digital media in one way or another. Social media like Facebook and WhatsApp are good when used with parental assistance. Prolonged one-on-one correspondence and interactions on these online platforms without supervision will definitely give opportunities to peep into one another’s personal matters and many times it can go outside the boundaries of etiquette and morality. A school-going child up to his graduate level does require parental monitoring. Absolute care should be taken to follow them, their activities within and outside school to make sure they are progressing on the right path.
Children are exposed to knowledge and information much easier than us and it is a parent’s duty to make sure that their children is not going astray from his or his family’s goals and dreams. The educational authorities and schools should give this subject greater thought and study the probability of taking the right measures to define which medium and up to what extent teachers and students can interact on social media.
From Mr Ramesh Menon
Abu Dhabi
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