Without a doubt, I think that teenagers and adults are able to have good conversations. As long as they respects each other. However, some of the teenagers might have found strangeness for communicating with adults. I think that’s actually quite normal. But it doesn’t necessarily means that there should be a line between because the line would be stepped across by these teenagers eventually.(hopefully)

If teens don’t interact with responsible adults from all over the globe, how will they learn to be responsible global citizens? By watching YouTube videos? Oh, wait, YouTube is blocked.

There is no privacy online. If someone has sufficient means and motivation, you can be found. It’s a great motivation to live circumspectly. “If you’d have a hard time explaining it to your mom, spouse, boss, the press, or a judge, think twice.”

Scarily enough well, you wrote the exact same thing I had in my mind except i didn’t have any skype calls.

I’m even in a worse situation than being surrounded by group of adults, I am the ONLY asian among the people i’m interacting with in Twitter and in my Blog (Quatar visited me recently!)

Interacting with adults are extremely discouraged in Korea. When young and old doesn’t know each other and if they meet in the Internet, they can be good friends (even lovers). But by the time they get to know their true age, they get farther from each other.

Also my so called ‘Asian-Confucianism” remnants in my people’s head seems to be contradicting with some white peoples concept according to a few comments on this post: http://tinyurl.com/2jnfcw

Yes, anyways for me online networking is a great experience of ‘cultural diffusion’ (term i learned in history class last year pshh) and especially 3 minute tweet chat w/ u today was memorable.

By the way, after writing this, I don’t feel like having contact with same asians more.. i actually enjoyed talking with white strangers in less than one month of my tweeting.

lets call some native african dudes and talk about huttus and tutsis

Mr K. you put forward interesting points. I can see where you’re coming from and I think this is why this type of thing needs to be thought about. The politically correct attitude of society these days makes sticky situations out of even the simplest of things, and this is why it’s not an easy question to answer.

a. woody delauder I am glad you are open to letting students in... this is important. How difficult would you foresee this network building being with students of the age you are teaching?

Jen I realised that at the time, but the question got me thinking about these other issues. It’s not so much interested in American culture, it’s just you guys seem to be a lot more in tune with all of these things we talk about! But now you mention it an American exchange would be cool! Always wondered what it would be like in an American school.

Chris Why do you find them more blurred? I’d be interested to know

Diane I’m glad you consider the playing field to be level, I think this is an important thing to believe with online networking.

Sheryl Thank you very much, I appreciate your kind words.

Bill I am glad you are feeling the change, I am also glad you are enjoying the posts from my fellow students 2.0 and I!

Eric I like your take on things... along with this I think the attitude of the people deciding what the teachers role is should change. Unplugging is always an option!

Charlie I think the idea of appropriate boundaries can be focussed too much on in society (schools in particular) these days. As I said in one of the comments above, political correctness is something I’m not a big fan on - I just think a lot of time is wasted these days with thinking “oh but what will happen if I do this... will this cross the line?”

Melissa Very interesting thoughts, I like them... a lot. “Adults should never ask anything of a student that they would not like for another adult to ask of their own children” - a very good guideline in my opinion

Clay Your insight stuns me sometimes... it really does. We need to talk more.

Michael You put forward a good point, although I’m not sure I’d be for teachers having to manage what they are doing online for the fear of what may happen. It’s just not right in my eyes. I don’t think teachers and students should act as students and teachers... I think this defeats the purpose. As Diane mentioned in her comment “The playing field is level; only ideas matter.”

Taylor Very good point of view. You’re quite right, if teachers can be trusted in the classroom why not on the internet? I don’t think you’re expecting too much there, I think it’s a perfectly reasonable thing to ask! I think you’re right in the sense that you shouldn’t have to pull down your adult conversations just because your students are online, after all they don’t have to read them, and it’s down to them if they do, not you. You shouldn’t be held accountable for anything that comes of a student seeing one of your online conversations.

John You’re quite right, a teacher shouldn’t have to be there online to communicate with their students 24/7 but I think it’s more of a case of they are there when they are there and can communicate if necessary... it shouldn’t be a must.

pheonix You’re right, we shouldn’t have to draw a line, but there always will be consequences from not drawing one...

pepperr Why do you think this is? I agree... young people do probably respond more to visuals etc. Not sure why though, but remember a lot of adults love that sort of stuff too! For starters it’s adults bringing us myspace etc.

kubavb7 How big a factor do you think lack of time is when it comes to a students online activity? do you think it would improve if it was classroom integrated?

3ways As I mentioned above I think that many adults also do the same, but why do you think the majority of young people completely switch off without this type of media integration?

Grizz13 I’m not quite sure what you mean about making sure things are secure.

Spongebobeob What sort of compromise do you suggest?

Anand Thakker Not a problem at all... thanks for responding! It’s great hearing the views from someone in your type of school environment. I’m glad to hear you talking so positively about this type of student - teacher relationship!

Thank you all again for your replies, they have kept me busy over the last while... I’m sorry if some of the replies were a bit rushed, it was difficult catching up with them all in one go!

Sean