Teachers Avoid Social Media Use for Classroom Learning, Survey Finds

Many teachers are using social networking in their personal lives to connect and communicate with friends and colleagues, but have not incorporated this technology into their interactions with students and parents due to concerns about negative repercussions, according to a survey released by the University of Phoenix.

Teachers are missing out on an important educational tool by failing to use social networking for educational purposes, said Kathy Cook, the director of educational technology for the University of Phoenix College of Education. "They see the benefits of using social media to connect with parents and engage students, but they're concerned about conflicts that can occur," Cook said. "The main thing they're concerned about is parents checking up on them, combining their personal life and their professional life." Eighty percent of teachers surveyed worried about negative outcomes arising from the use of social networking, and 34 percent of teachers who use social media said they had experienced these types of repercussions. Nearly 70 percent said they believe that parents use social networking to monitor teachers' work or personal lives.