dana boyd asks: Is Facebook destroying the college experience?

Jon Barilone calls attention to a new blog by danah boyd. Read danah’s full post on DMLcentral.net: http://bit.ly/Y8DKzG. You can follow danah on Twitter at @zephoria.

————————

Excerpts from “Is Facebook Destroying the American College Experience?”

At first blush, this seems like a win for students.  Going off to college can be a scary proposition, full of uncertainty, particularly about social matters. Why not get a head start building friends from the safety of your parent’s house?

When pre-frosh turn to Facebook before arriving on campus, they do so to find other people who share their interests, values, and background. As such, they begin a self-segregation process that results in increased “homophily” on campuses.

It’s high time we recognize that college isn’t just about formalized learning and skills training, but also a socialization process with significant implications for the future

Do you feel Facebook is crippling college students’ ability to diversify their social networks? Or does this platform enhance these kinds of social opportunities? Share your thoughts here or by leaving a comment on the blog post at http://bit.ly/Y8DKzG.