Traditionally organisational email provides all communication between students and staff, the primary benefit being all emails are recorded and monitored to ensure safety of both staff and students. An extremely important aspect is that all students and staff have organisation email accounts. “Most younger (and, increasingly, older) learners use social networking sites to keep in contact with each other, share information and photographs, and meet new people” (Gould & Roffey-Barentsen, 2014, p. 82) this highlights a clear shift over the last decade away from email communication where many “learners rarely check their student email they engage with social media on numerous occasions throughout the day.” (Machin, Hindmarch, Murray, & Richardson, 2016, p. 112) As a result of these high levels of engagement lecturers have gradually created social networking accounts to ensure high levels of communication, by doing this there are several legal requirements and responsibilities that must be considered. As the social networking websites are not managed by the organisation it immediately presents a security and safeguarding concern. When creating a social networking account, it is important the following steps are completed:

• A personal social networking account is not utilised
• A staff email account is used for registering for the social networking account
• Provide ICT Services with the username and password so that the account can be accessed
• Ensure any social group is closed so that only invited students are able to join
• Provide students and staff with the safety online and social media policy

If staff do not create an online environment for students, the students will create it themselves and it will not be monitored or managed, as a result it is essential that staff create the social networking accounts and groups early and promote their usage to students.

Bibliography

Gould, J., & Roffey-Barentsen, J. (2014). Achieving your diploma in education and training (1st ed.). London: Sage Publications Ltd.

Machin, L., Hindmarch, D., Murray, S., & Richardson, T. (2016). A Complete Guide to the Level 5 Diploma in Education & Training (Second Edition ed.). St Albans: Critical Publishing.