Week 2 - Discussion 2

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

onli

ne, 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 p

rovide 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 suppo

rt 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 m

e 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 t

o 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 m

y 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 conne

ction 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 edi

t 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 overse

as, 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 th

ink 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

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