Prepare:Prior to beginning work on this discussion, watch the video From Facebook to friendship | Ashford University(Links to an external site.) - see link below - and explore Ashford University's Soc

The social media outlet that I chose to explore for different Ashford Universities groups was Facebook. Upon searching the many groups available, I requested to join a few that I think will really help me during my time as an Ashford student. The one that stood out to me the most, and that I think will be most beneficial to me is the Ashford University Online group. I think this group will be beneficial to me because sometimes it’s easy to feel alone while attending school online, and this group provides support and others going through the same things to communicate with. It is easy to connect with others in this group, and administration in the group provide a safe, caring environment. I think being a part of this group will provide help, a place to vent, somewhere to go for motivation and support, and as they state, “a virtual shoulder to cry on.” Sometimes while going to school online it’s difficult to feel supported and understood by others, although I have a wonderful support system, it is difficult for me to connect to them and for them to fully understand what you go through while going to school online. This platform provides others going through the same feelings, and also alumni that have felt the same feelings and have gone through the same things we have. Which is encouraging because they are there for you to motivate you, and to be an example of how you can succeed, work through your struggles, and accomplish your goals. I also think this Facebook group will benefit me during my academic time at Ashford University, by offering me another source to ask questions and to find support with assignments. By being able to connect to other online students, and students within my own courses I will be able to ask questions and get a sense of reassurance that I am on the right track with assignments, and papers.

     I found the Ashford Video provided so enlightening. Two people from different states connecting over social media and forming a lifelong friendship. They were able to find support and academic connections through just one post that grew into something so much more. Finding a social media platform to connect with other online students will help remind me that I am not alone, just like the two women from the video. In my last class I met a girl who lives in London and is attending Ashford University for the same degree as me, we have a lot of similarities and connected on Facebook to stay in touch with each other and to be there to support one another. So even though we are in different classes now, we are still able to be there for one another and offer a long-distance friendship. I can only think of one drawback by connecting with others on social media through school, and that’s feeling like I have to keep up with that other student I have connected with. Making sure I turn in assignments around the same time, making sure my responses are as good as theirs, just comparing myself to others. So, I think comparing myself to others, especially others I have a personal connection with is a drawback for me personally.   

     Although connecting to others around you can be so beneficial it can also be a bit scary at times. After reviewing the privacy settings on Facebook, I was thankful for the refresher and the ability to edit preferences I didn’t know existed. Facebook tells you what the owner of the company will and will not do with your personal information, it gives you the option to make anything you want “private” just for you to see, allows you to block users, hide your location if you choose,  and alert you when your account has been logged into from a different device. But how private and secure is it really? Is Facebook collecting our data, photos, videos, and information well provide? We have family that lives overseas, and out of state, so we post pictures of our son on Facebook to provide a family connection with family we don’t see often. I worry how secure those pictures really are of him, I wonder who can actually see them and save them, no matter how secure I think I’ve made my account. I guess we will never truly know. I remember years ago reading an article about how Facebook tracks where you’ve been and how long you were there, and that it also saved your most frequented locations to a certain part of your account. With the addresses provided! I was floored, I couldn’t believe it to be true until I followed the step by step instructions to deactivate the setting and found it on my account too. Ever since then I have always been a bit worried about Facebook, and I have been more careful with things I post, and who I connect with. I do feel like there are some positive aspects to their privacy setting policy. Allowing us the options to who can view our items, blocking our friends lists from others to keep our friends protected, being able to block people who are bothering us, and although the location setting is a bit scary, I also think it can be help under the right circumstances. If a child runs away from home or someone goes missing, I feel like being able to track people through their social media locator is a tremendous help. I know there have also been times that some horrific things have happened on Facebook Live, and although they were awful, having that open to public allowed authorities to apprehend people doing criminal activities who provided their location on Facebook.

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     I think my current social media presence impacts my ability to meet my professional and academic goals in a positive and negative way. I am only on a few social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, which I don’t think is a lot compared to others. Being a part of these social media platforms has helped me, and will help me, in a positive way academically and professionally by allowing me to connect with others in the teaching world. I am in social media groups that offer support and help with working mothers who are back in college, and I am also in groups that provide relaxation help, and reassurance that going back to school with a family is beneficial to all, although it is easy to feel guilty. Having this support allows me to have an outlet of academic help with providing me answers to my questions, and ways to clear my mind before starting an assignment. Social media platforms like Pinterest will help me when it comes to my future profession. Having a source to find project ideas, worksheets, and educational games to play with my students will help me in future. It also helps me with my current profession because I have joined Registered Behavior Technician support pages, our job is very physical and emotional. Having that outlet to vent, and to know that you are not alone in your worry and frustration provides a nice peace of mind.  I think my social media presence also negatively impacts my ability to meet my academic and professional goals, because it is a time waster, and a distraction. It’s easy to see a notification and veer off track or click on one video and get sucked down into the video vortex of useless information. Social media can also provide information that isn’t true that I might use and an assignment, and although you don’t want to think poorly of people, you never truly know who you are talking to on the other end of social media. Which is a scary reality when it comes to academic or professional help, because the information you are provided with might not be true or accurate.

     To me all social media platforms have their positives and negatives. Becoming more aware of their privacy settings and making sure you research any information provided to make sure you are given correct information is very important. It is also important to separate yourself from your social media distractions while doing your schoolwork, and while spending time with your family. We will never get these moments and time back again, so for me, it’s better to live in the present than to live with a social media presence.