Implications

 I can see more negative implications for the use of social media sights than I can positive.  First, how often does the teacher need to be monitoring the conversation?  Will free use of the computer give students the opportunity to go off task?  And, would the use of twitter and other backchannel sights allow some students to be bullied?  I suppose a class would have to be given on cyber "etiquette".  The most important negative implication seems to be the lack of face time these backchannels give (or don't give) to students.  Are we creating a world in which we don't even have to show up?  If students don't have to orally participate in class, what are we telling them?  Shouldn't we be challenging our students to do things that might make them uncomfortable?  A classroom should be a safe environment where students feel comfortable to talk aloud and voice their opinions.  The use of backchannels veers away from a face-to-face community, and drops student's into the nameless cyber universe.