"Iceberg Right Ahead!": Protecting Yourself and Your Students from Social Media Pitfalls

If you have even a passing interest in history--or Leonardo DiCaprio, you have probably seen the blockbuster film "Titanic". Perhaps the most memorable (and overused) one-liner from the movie is when one of the ship's crew, after spotting an oncoming chunk of ice off the starboard bow, screams out in a British accent, "Iceberg, right ahead!" If you have yet to see it, here is a refresher:

As the video points out, there was almost no time for the captain to prevent this most famous of nautical 20th-century disasters. Thankfully cruise ships now have advanced technology to assess potential dangers far in advance, allowing captains time to change the direction of their vessel and protect the lives of its passengers as well as themselves.

Similarly, history instructors face an equally dangerous journey attempting to navigate through a frigid ocean of social media technologies. Without certain precautions and safeguards, using social media in teaching can lead to the sinking of students' self esteem, trust in their peers or instructors, and even the professor's own career. Offensive comments and inappropriate photos are jagged blocks of ice just waiting to tear a hole in the side of your smooth-sailing classroom environment.

The key to safely traversing through social media requires that history instructors first take the time to set guidelines for themselves, and their students.

1. As an instructor, how much information do you want to share with your students? Remember, whatever you share with them online, can be sent to anyone. If you are thinking of using social media such as Facebook in a course, perhaps create a separate account for instruction that has a clean-cut version of your life. That way students get to see professional historian you--not the close-friends/family version (that has an awkward photograph your wife took while you were watching TV in sweatpants). Just imagine what some disgruntled students could do with that! "Iceberg, right ahead!"

2. When using social media sites for educational purposes, such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, make sure to check privacy settings. Who do you want your audience to be? If it is every historian with access to a computer, by all means set it to public. Usually, however, your audience is just your students. In that case, make these sites private and only invite students in your class into your social circle (or provide them with a password you change every semester). Remember that some historical debates turn into theoretical arguments or counter-factual history. You probably do not want your name attached to a conversation with a student where you are forced to explain what would the U.S. be like today if the Nazis won World War II. "Iceberg, right ahead!"

3. Always set guidelines for students regarding what is acceptable to post, and what is not acceptable to post on social media sites. Better yet, have students sign a contract where they agree to a set of rules and consequences for breaking them. For example, if students were posting pictures to an Instagram account regarding Women's history, the last thing you would want to see is a sexually-explicit photograph from a student who thought it was funny. A clear rule set beforehand with clear consequences for its breaking can avoid--you got it--"Iceberg right ahead!"

With careful planning and precautions, social media can be used to enhance and speed the learning process in history courses. By using the above steps, every history instructor can navigate around the deadly icebergs and guide their students along the semester safely.

Good luck!