30 Days With Google+

30 Days With Google+: Day 1

Today begins my fourth “30 Days With…” journey. Coming off of a month working with the iPad to prove whether or not it can suffice as a replacement for a Windows-based PC, I am ready to take on a new challenge: Google+.

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Google+ is Google’s latest attempt at social networking. The initial reception of Google+ has been predominantly positive. At face value, it seems to be part Facebook, part Twitter, and all Google.

This month I will spend 30 days diving into the Google+ social network.Google+ is invitation only right now, but that hasn’t stopped it from growing very quickly from launch to 20 million members. That pales in comparison to Facebook’s 750 million, but it’s not too shabby for right out of the gate with a limited audience.

Google+ is still essentially a beta product. On the one hand, Google is proven to use the word “beta” different than most companies–basically negating the concept of a limited pilot for final testing purposes, and simply running products in perpetual beta. I will say that Google+ seems fairly polished and complete as it is, but as 20 million users stress test the social network issues will arise, and Google will address those issues.

As I explore Google+ over the next 30 days, though, I will keep in mind that it is a work in progress–and I will remind you as well. So, the goal of 30 Days With Google+ will be to dive into the Google social network, discover the pros and cons, and see what it has to offer, but with the caveat that Google+ is still evolving and those things may all change.

I will take a look at how to join Google+ and get started adding friends and contacts to build a social network. I’ll figure out Circles, and Sparks, and Huddles, and Hangouts (don’t worry–I’ll explain those in more detail in the days to come). I’ll explore privacy issues, integration with other Google services, and with third party sites and services.

It will be hard not to draw comparisons to existing social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. In some instances, the comparisons will be warranted or necessary, but for the most part I plan to explore and review Google+ on its own merits rather than as a function of how well it mimics its rivals.

If you have any particular questions or concerns about Google+ that you think I should take a look at during the 30 Days With Google+ series, email them to me at tbradley@pcworld.com. If you would like to get in on the Google+ fun, you can email me a request for an invitation as well. I will invite you as long as Google continues to let me.

I hope you will check back each day and follow along as I go through the 30 Days With Google+ experience.

Read the last “30 Days” series: 30 Days With the iPad

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MO Law Limits Student-Teacher Social Networking

Missouri is pulling the reins on the way teachers and students communicate on the internet.

A new law will limit private discussions on popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

“When we are at a ball game or events like that we will tweet information from that so that gets it to a large audience in a short amount of time,” said Central High School’s Assistant Principal Rober Sigrit

Facebook and Twitter are often used by school faculty and students to send and receive messages, but starting this January a new law in Missouri will limit how they interact on social media sites.

“It does not outlaw it, but it says the district is going to have some sort of policy in place for it,” said Sigrit.

The new law gives school districts the right to set their own guidelines as to how a faculty or staff member can communicate through social media and email.

But John Schlange with the Missouri teachers Association says the law is too open to interpretation and therefore impossible to enforce.

“Because it does not define what the communication would be. It is up to the individual school district. It also does not define what is private or public it says there must be a policy,” said Schlange.

Right now, the St. Joseph School District does not allow teachers and students to discuss personal matters on social media sites. A teacher also can not share information with a student that portrays sex, nudity, alcohol or drug use. All interaction must be out in the open. No private messages.

Sigrist is a Twitter fanatic who often uses the site to post school events, but he cautions teachers from using it or other sites.

“I have always encouraged teachers not to be friends with students on Facebook. I think Facebook is more of a social outlet. Obviously they can have class pages where there can be good sharing of information,” said Sigrit.

Katie Kimble is a teacher who uses Edmodo, a site similar to Facebook to publish classroom information. She says it is excellent to have open class discussions. And if a student sends her a personal message she can respond openly by posting it on the wall or addressing the issue in class.

“We see them everyday. There is really no need to have that conversation outside of school when it can take place in school,” said Kimble.

Most parents and students we talked with also agree with that private messaging is inappropriate.

“What happens between the child and the teacher should just be on a professional level not on a computer style relationship,” said parent Shelly Hernandez.

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