Session W2G

Impact of the use of Facebook amongst students of high school age with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD)
Frdric Fovet
College Northside, admin@college-northside.qc.ca

Abstract - The paper presents innovative research findings on the use of Facebook made by students with Social Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, of high school age. It examines the impact of this online platform on their peer relations and their adaptation within school. The working hypothesis of the study was that this technological platform might enable students experiencing a variety of difficulties in the classroom to rectify and address these by technological means, particularly with regards to representation of self and relations with peers. A mixed methodology framework has been adopted for this study, involving both quantitative semi-directive questionnaires addressed to students themselves and a qualitative content analysis on the Facebook platform used by the students more particularly the Wall application. Findings suggest that Facebook has become of extreme importance for students with SEBD in their adaptation to school and their management of peer relations. They show complex patterns of modification of self image, on the part of SEBD students, and dynamic involvement with peers occurring on the Facebook platform. The outcomes are numerous as (i) teachers must become aware of these complex and subtle mechanisms, (ii) impact on behaviour and learning may be substantial and must be monitored, (iii) this may offer rich lessons with regards to use of technology by children experiencing difficulties at school, or Millenium learners generally. This has important repercussions for SEBD students and their mode of inclusion, but also for students generally in the mainstream context. Index Terms representation. Facebook, Inclusion, SEBD, self-

context of in-faculty use [4] but not with respect to social contact between peers even though it advertises itself primarily as a social networking tool. The idea of analysing online exchanges between students is particularly appealing due to the casual nature of the exchanges that occur in such a forum [5]-[6]. The application known as the Wall also has the added appeal of recording and archiving exchanges [7]. Research has shown furthermore that Facebook use is closely clustered around school affiliation for teenagers [8][9] which in itself increases curiosity as to its potential impact on the schooling of users; impact of social networks used at home on the professional environment has for example been documented in the past in this way [10]. II. Online representation of self The creation and development of an online persona has also been the focus of a body of literature. This has mostly involved the online learner and usually, more specifically, the graduate student [11]. The lesson has mostly been that some face to face engagement remains indispensable within a hybrid format for this online persona to appear [12]. Short of this, online chat rooms and bulletin boards offering virtual meetings or interactive discussions seem to be the next best thing when it comes to encouraging online presence [13]. This format has proved tangibly successful in the field of acquisition of languages [147]. III. Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties When one uses the term Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties one generally relies on the conceptual tool defined by the British Government, as cited in Travell [15], meaning that children with SEBD are children who, as a result of hitherto undefined factors, require additional resources (as defined in the 1996 Education Act) to meet their social, emotional and behavioural needs. It is difficult to clarify this notion further than to say that it covers a spectrum ranging from unacceptable behaviour to mental illness, serious mental illness being excluded from the definition [16]. There is clearly an element of subjectivity in such a definition, which will have a crucial impact on assessment and may have a bearing on the observations made in this study. Reid [17] and Cronk [18] have shown in their research how SEBD students often have a perception

EXISTING LITERATURE I.Facebook and social networking online platforms There is a large body of literature focusing on the creation of an online persona in chat rooms but this has mostly focused to date on the gender [1] or ethnic differences [2]. The more recent phenomena of Facebook [3] has also been investigated with respect to persona development within the

978-1-4244-4714-5/09/$25.00 2009 Crown October 18 - 21, 2009, San Antonio, TX 39th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference W2G-1

Session W2G
that their behaviour is in fact normal and an appropriate response to bad teaching. Cooper, Smith & Upton [19] point out that teachers themselves in fact often disagree as to what is acceptable or unacceptable behaviour. The display of anti-social behaviour is not rare in itself and will not be sufficient to define a child as being affected by SEBD. A large number of children and teenagers, 60 to 85%, will take part in difficult behaviour before the age of 20, while 40% of youth will display long lasting anti-social behaviour [20]. It is therefore not the behaviour itself that identifies SEBD students, but the severity of the behaviour and the length of time during which it manifests itself: It has often been said that students with emotional and behavioural problems differ from other students only in the frequency, intensity, and duration of their behaviours (p71)[21] The margin for error is further increased if one considers that teachers tend to retain the first impression they have of a child and his/her behaviour [22]: with the passage of time, teachers perceptions become increasingly stereotyped and children become hardened caricatures of an initial discriminatory vision (p86) IV. Suspected social benefits for at risk children There is a growing body of literature focusing on the relationship between the social and emotional wellbeing of teenagers and their use of online networking tools [23]-[24]. Some studies have looked more specifically at selfrepresentation within social networking sites. There seems to be evidence to support the idea that the personality created online on these platform differs from their social image in the daily context [25]-[26]. Research also seems to imply that the availability of this different platform for selfrepresentation may be therapeutic for some [27]-[28]. Mazer, Murphy and Simonds [29] have explored further the potential benefits for at risk students and studied the impact of teacher self-disclosure on Facebook on student motivation, learning, and classroom climate. They believe that the use of Facebook in the educational context can have a positive effect on the student-teacher relationship, which can in turn lead to positive student outcomes. Teachers using Facebook are indeed perceived by students as attempting to develop positive relationships. Use of Facebook as part of the student-teacher relationship was seen as creating a higher level of motivation and a more comfortable classroom climate.
METHODOLOGY

and efficient way to secure a large of pool of participants in studies on SEBD children, it does mean that the samples chosen are not random and that the study in some respect lacks a degree of objectivity. Social study research does however lean towards snowball sampling in the case of specific sub-groups and justifies this compromise as an acceptable bias [31]. Quantitative data collection in the field of educational research, and particularly Special Needs, can have its shortcomings and is seen by many as limited in scope and unable to take into account the wider factors pertaining to the childs environment [32]- [33], as: too narrow and limiting too focused on the specific and measurable, to account for the range of human phenomena associated with the broad field of education [34] (p214). The explicit choice made in this study of adopting a systemic perspective [35] also imperatively demands the collection and the analysis of a large amount of qualitative data, from varied sources. Though the project has set itself some quantitative objectives, the main body of the data collected is hence qualitative; the study is still based on a working hypothesis and there is no intrinsic contradiction in this [36]. A certain amount of figures and quantitative data has been gathered though the sample is not representative; the study has nonetheless the objective of establishing some numerical patterns and relationships as is characteristic of this methodological framework [37]-[38]. As is often the case in social sciences, the project as a whole has therefore made use of mixed methodology principles for reasons of practicality and ease in the context at hand [39]. This conceptual choice however often goes further than mere convenience and the model is now thought highly appropriate to the field of social sciences [40] and more particularly to educational contexts concerned with interactions and relationships between participants [41]. As such, mixed methodology is increasingly being conceptualised and redefined as the most subtle and adequate methodological approach to phenomena involving perceptions of a context, of an environment or of human interaction[42]. II. Qualitative content analysis Online exchanges scoping a period of one year were then examined and analysed. As the data appearing in online Facebook exchanges between students is wide ranging in scope, it seemed overly resource intensive to apply textual analysis methods to the entire body of the exchanges being observed. It was instead thought easier to identify specific passages that amounted to exchanges with school peers and to record the various components of these exchanges through qualitative content analysis [43]. This is defined by Weber [44] as

I.Framework Permission was sought to access the walls of 12 SEBD students. Participants were identified and selected on the basis of snowball sampling [30]. While this is a convenient

978-1-4244-4714-5/09/$25.00 2009 Crown October 18 - 21, 2009, San Antonio, TX 39th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference W2G-2

Session W2G
FINDINGS a research method that uses a set of procedure to make valid interferences from text (p.9) It is thought a particularly appropriate analysis method for text appearing on websites or through electronic means [45]. This coding was done manually rather than through a software application as the attribution in itself was fairly simple: the topics appearing on each Facebook page were categorised dependent on their relation to 12 pre-determined themes. The content analysis was carried out on each students Wall on a monthly basis. The caveats expressed by Palmquist [46] with respect to content analysis were taken into account, particularly those concerning intentions, biases, prejudices of the authors of the text being analysed coming into play and it is readily accepted that these concerns might be highly relevant in the case of the unmonitored, private online exchanges between teenage students. Visual content analysis [47] was also attempted on the videos, photos and music posted by the students in questions and on the visual composition of their Profile. Importantly weekly reports from class teachers and specific subject teachers were also obtained which detailed ongoing academic difficulties, behavioural difficulties and current issues with peers. These were correlated monthly with the findings obtained through the content analysis. III. Semi-directive questionnaires Semi-directive questionnaires were also used with students participating in the study in an effort to gauge their own perceptions on their use of Facebook. These constitute a simple descriptive survey [48](p.108), as opposed to crosssectional or longitudinal design surveys. These semidirective questionnaires were completed face to face or by email, depending on availability of participants and due consideration was given to the concerns reviewed by James & Busher [49] surrounding the use of email interviewing. Face to face contact was preferred, not just because of these caveats but also because beyond the quantitative objective of the survey - it was hoped that interviewees would open up during the process and offer more information than requested [50]. It can be argued too that the level of researcher bias is reduced in semi-directive questionnaires completed face to face, as the interviewer exerts less control over the data collection process [51]. The caveats, expressed by Glesne & Peshkin [52], with regards to possible bias from participants when the research topic is of interest to them, is relevant here and was taken into account. IV. Informed consent Although the online mechanism which allows access to a persons Facebook page requires an express permission, informed consent was still explicitly sought from the SEBD participants in questions, expressly stating the purpose of the study. The most crucial observation was that students who experienced fairly major set backs at school and were experiencing academic difficulties were never mentioning this information during social networking. The Profile facility in particular allows a user to publish a message or sentence which summarizes his or her actions or state of mind of mind. The participants never published profile information that allowed difficulties at school to transpire. There existed therefore a very systematic and efficient process of information selection when entering social networking. An intentional decision was made by all participants to censor information reflecting their difficulties at school. As a result and as a rule, the published state of mind seemed to be in opposition to the climate at school or mood displayed in that context. Hence words, but also visual content, tended as a rule to suggest happiness and well being when reality was quite the opposite. Peer relations can be a source of great stress and unhappiness for SEBD students, especially those with ADHD who find it difficult to obtain any tangible level of acceptance at school [53]. It appears from the data collected that Facebook is being used a platform to rectify these shaky peer relationships and repair some of the damage which it would appear often occurs in social exchanges due to impulsivity, a lack of verbal control or perceived social clumsiness. Furthermore, relationships were seen to occur during social networking which had no reality within the classroom walls, according to the corroborating feedback or teachers. Sometimes dialogue and conversations were seen to occur between students who would not actively speak to each other during the day at school. The social networking tool was used to, not only repair damaged peer relations, but to create entirely new ones. Though these seemed to not be entertained live during school hours, they still allowed the child in question to gain a degree of recognition within his peer group and his virtual community. Specific topics of exchange were for example music, video games, media extract extracted from other sources (such as the Internet it self or Youtube). A level of expertise and recognition was gained by these participants through these online relations. It was quite clear that succeeding in obtaining certain key members of the school community to appear on ones Friends list, though not equivalent to entertaining an active relationship at school with these individuals, represented a tangible and supportive connection. This in turn was seen to lead to increase self-confidence. In interviews, the majority of participants were monosyllabic and volunteered little information. The students valued Facebook as a networking tool but were not conceptual or analytical about its function in their life. They could rate its importance and relevance to their life and ability to function but did not as a rule understand how and why it complemented their social interaction at school. Importantly, the subjects were seen to be making no

978-1-4244-4714-5/09/$25.00 2009 Crown October 18 - 21, 2009, San Antonio, TX 39th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference W2G-3

Session W2G
differentiation about Facebook use at home and its use at school. Both social networking contexts were perceived as mingled and combined. OUTCOMES The outcomes of this study are important and far reaching. Three major possible developments can be identified: (i) teachers must become aware of these complex and subtle mechanisms, (ii) impact on behaviour and learning may be substantial and must be monitored, (iii) this may offer rich lessons with regards to use of technology by children experiencing difficulties at school, or Millenium learners generally. I. Teacher training Teachers within the high school context are usually reluctant to use Facebook as part of their pedagogical approach and are usually banned from using it on school premises [54]. Add to this the fact that teachers are usually shown by research to be well behind their students in technological terms and it becomes clear that a change of mentality is required. Training teachers to use technological tools effectively is a long and difficult process. Literature has documented the five separate stages required for IT development amongst teachers: entry stage, adoption, adaptation stage, appropriation and invention stage [55]. Technology only becomes a medium for exchange, collaboration and creative thinking in the last of these five phases [56] and it is assumed that teachers will not feel comfortable and empowered enough to freely devise approaches that incorporate Facebook till they have themselves reached this last stage of technological integration. Indeed these findings suggest Facebook may offer the opportunity to re-engage students who are already at risk in class. If this re-engagement occurs through social networking platforms and outside the class, it may be essential for teachers to be made aware of the impact of this tool and to take time to consider ways of bridging the gap between class and private sphere to reach out to the students in questions. Further research is clearly needed to identify exactly what form this training should take and in what format it is best delivered. For such a change to occur, teacher training must be radically rethought and transformed. Competence must replace fear. II. Impact on behaviour One study [57] conclusively already establishes a correlation between the use of Facebook by children at risk and an improved behaviour in class. The element identified in that study was the willingness of teachers to use the platform with reciprocity. Other variables, highlighted here, should not be ignored either: the effective transformation of selfrepresentation through online social networking, the establishment of relationships which would fail to flourish through every day contact, as well the ability to reach a networks that go beyond systems that are often failing (school, family etc). These all require further examination in future research for it may well become the role of the classroom teacher to monitor the transformations that occur in students at risk through the use of social networking platforms and to encourage and nurture this process in the classroom enironment. III. Using technology for inclusion Children with SEBD have the characteristic of often having above average abilities on technological tools. The wide spread use of Facebook amongst SEBD students evidenced in this paper and the clear appeal this networking tool has for these children may have impact beyond the mere social context. It is conceivable indeed that Facebook, once analysed in its social function, may be integrated into academics and pedagogy. What appeals to many SEBD teens in the use of technology is the fact that the media they are using is as versatile and fast moving as their own attention span is. These students successfully integrate ICT use, internalize its operations and achieve an intuitive understanding of its complex capacities. Cuthell explains that (hardware and software) are a tool, a vehicle for combining motor skills, language, images and symbolic manipulation through practical activities [58]. In practical terms, teenagers with SEBD finally have with ICT a thought vehicle that moves as fast and as intuitively as their fast but easily distracted minds. Fast multi-tasking suddenly becomes a productive thought completion as opposed to an erratic and incomplete process [59]. It is often wrongly assumed that SEBD learners, such as ADHD students, should be maintained in an environment where stimuli are limited for them to be able to listen and focus. In fact, in many such cases, the cerebral cortex is under-stimulated. Hence over-stimulation, such as increased light, use of colour, background noise and music, may in fact trigger cortex stimulation and increase attention [60]. Multi-tasking on ICT is one of the most efficient methods some learners with SEBD can use to self-arouse the cerebral cortex [61]. In the case of SEBD students, online multi-tasking, and particularly the use of Facebook, may therefore be the key to remaining engaged in class and succeeding academically in the inclusive context [62]. SEBD students, despite their lack of adaptation at school or perhaps because of this -, often highlight in an exacerbated manner features of the mainstream learner. Research has started to describe the Millenium learner as technologically discriminate and demanding [63]. Little surprise therefore that the majority of SEBD students should choose to use Facebook as a learning crutch. DISCUSSION There are obviously specific fears surrounding the use of Facebook by high school students. The conservative view

978-1-4244-4714-5/09/$25.00 2009 Crown October 18 - 21, 2009, San Antonio, TX 39th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference W2G-4

Session W2G
remains that such social platforms monopolize attention away from academic priorities [64]. Literature also evidences issues of bullying, invasion of privacy and victimization linked with the use of Facebook [65]- [66]. The legal literature on the risks of Facebook use in schools is also sizeable [67] and has led to the social networking tool being blocked from school computers in many countries and within many school boards. This fear has for too long hindered a detailed analysis of the benefits of the use of social networking for children at risk and while legal issues and detrimental impact cannot be disregarded and must be carefully monitored, it is the assertion of this paper that the benefits with regards to successful inclusion of all learners far outweighs potential risks. It is suggested that in the current context of inclusion legal imperatives on school should guide administrators and policy makers but not at the detriment of successful experimentation with new technological tools which risk changing radically the face of the 21st century classroom. REFERENCES
Huffaker, D., & Calvert, S.L. (2005) Gender, identity and language use in teenage blogs, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 10(2), p.1. Korgan, K., Odell, P. & Schumacher, P. (2001) Internet use among college students: Are there differences by race/ ethnicity?, Electronic Journal of Sociology, 5(3). Boyd, D..M., & Ellison, N.B. (2007) Social network sites: Definition, history and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), art.11. Hewit, A., & Forte, A. (2006) Crossing boundaries: identity management and student/faculty relationships on the Facebook. Conference Proceedings. Banff, AB: CSWN 06, Nov 4-8. Calvert, S., L. (2002). Identity construction on the Internet. In: S.L. Calvert, A.B. Jordan, & R.R. Cocking (Eds.), Children in the Digital Age: Influences of Electronic Media on Development, pp. 57-70. Westport, CT: Praeger Huffaker, D., & Calvert, S.L. (2005) Gender, identity and language use in teenage blogs, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 10(2), p.1. Kleinberg, J. (2008) The convergence of social and technological networks, Communications of the ACM, 51(11), pp.66-72. Jones, S. (2002). The Internet goes to college, Pew Internet and American Life Project. Golder, S., Wilkinson, D., & Huberman, B. (2007) Rythms of social interaction: Messaging within a massive online network. Third International Conference on Communities and Technologies,(WWW) http://www.hpl.hp.com/research/idl/papers/facebook/facebook.pdf (accessed December 21st, 2008) DiMicco, J.M., Millen, D.R., Geyer, W., & Dugan, C. (2008) Research on the use of social software in the workplace, Conference Proceedings, CSCW 08 Social Networking in Organizations, Nov 8-12. Fovet, F. (2008) Self-perception and self-representation in participants of an online Masters program targeting education practitioners, Conference Proceedings, FIE 2008. Boyle, L. (2008) Are student teachers in hybrid online programs as prepared to implement instructionally effective behaviours as peers trained in face-to-face environments? Conference Proceedings, Honolulu,HI: 6th International Conference on Education. Gunawardena, C., Plass, J., & Salisbury, M. (2001) Do we really need an online discussion group. In: D. Murphy, R. Walker, & G. Webb (Eds.) Online Learning and Teaching with Technology, London, UK: Kogan Page Ltd Negretti, R. (1999) Web-based activities and SLA: a conversation analysis research approach, Language Learning and Technology, vol.3, No1, pp75-87. Travell, C. (1999) Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties: Perspectives on Perspectives. In: J. Visser & S Rayener (Eds) Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties: A Reader. Lichfield: QEd Publications Department for Education and Skills (2005) Pupils with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, Study Materials. (WWW) 2005. http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/supplyteachers (28 December 2005) Reid, K. (1985) Truancy and School Absenteeism. London: Hoddler & Stoughton. Cronk, K. (1987) Teacher-pupil Conflict in Secondary Schools. Lewes: Falmer Press. Cooper, P., Smith, C. & Upton., G (1994) Emotional & Behavioural Difficulties Theory to practice. London: Routledge. Moffitt, T.E. (1993) Adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent antisocial behaviour: A developmental taxonomy. Psychological Review, 100. 674-701. Jones, V., Dohrn, E. & Dunn, C. (2004) Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. Boston: Pearsons, Inc. Dudley-Marling, C. (2000) A family Affair When school troubles come home. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Cummings, J., Lee, J., & Kraut, R. (2006). Communicattion technology and friendship during the transition from high school to college. In R.E. Kraut, M. Brynin, & S. Kieser (Eds.) Computers, Phones and the Internet: Domesticating Information Technology, pp. 265-278. New York: Oxford University Press. Haase, Q., A., & Wellman, B. (2004) How does the Internet affect social capital? In. M. Huysman & V. Wulf (Eds.), Social Capital and Information Technology, pp.113-135. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Acquisti, A., & Gross, R. (2006). Imagined communities: awareness, information sharing and privacy on the Facebook. In P. Golle & G. Danezis (Eds.), Proceedings of the 6th Workshop on Privacy Enhancing Technologies (pp.36-58). Cambridge, UK: Robinson College. Stutzman, F. (2006) An evaluation of identity sharing behaviour in social network communities. Journal of International Digital Media and Arts Association, 3 (1), 10-18. Boyd, D. (2008). Why youth (heart) social network sites: The role of networked publics in teenage social life. In D. Buckingham (Ed.), Youth, Identity and Digital Media. (pp.119-142). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Ellison, N., Steinfield, C., & Lampe. C. (2007) The benefits of Facebook friends: Exploring the relationship between college students use of online social networks and social capita. Journal of ComputerMediated Communication, 12(3), art 1. Mazer, J. P., Murphy, R.E., & Simonds, C.J. (2007) Ill see you on Facebook: The effects of computer-mediated teacher disclosure on student motivation, affective learning and classroom climate. Communication Education, 56(1), 1-17. Miles, M. & Huberman, A. M. (1994) Qualitative Data Analysis: An Expanded Sourcebook, 2nd edn. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Wong, T. (2008). Purposive and snowball sampling in the study of ethnic and mainstream community organizations. Paper presented at the

978-1-4244-4714-5/09/$25.00 2009 Crown October 18 - 21, 2009, San Antonio, TX 39th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference W2G-5

Session W2G
annual meeting of the Western Political Science Association, San Diego, 20th March 2008. Luke, A. (2003). After the marketplace: Evidence, social science and educational research. The Australian Educational Researcher, 30(2), 87-108. Coburn, W.W., & Loving, C.C. (2001). In defense of realism: It really is commonsense. International History, Philosophy and Science Teaching Group Meetings, USA, 162. Reynolds, P. S., & Cavanagh, R.F. (2005). A philosophical perspective on the utility of quantitative methods in educational research. In R.F. Waugh (Ed.) Frontiers in Educational Psychology. NY: Nova Scotia Publishers. Cullinan, D. (2002) Students with Emotional and Behavioural Disorders. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Yin, R. (1994). Case Study Research: Design and Methods, 2nd edn. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. May, T. (1997) Social Research: Issues, Methods and Process, 2 edn. Buckingham: Open University Press. Lankshear, C. & Knobe, M. (2004). A Handbook for Teacher Research From Design to Implementation. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Tashakkori, A., & Teddie, C. (2002). Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and Behavioral Research, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Yang, S. (2008) A mixed methods study on the needs of Korean families in intensive care units, Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 25 (4) Sosu, E. M., McWilliam, A., & Gray, D. S. (2008) The complexities of teachers' commitment to environmental education - A mixed methods approach, Journal of Mixed Methods Research, Vol. 2, No. 2, 169-189 Johnson, R. B., Onwuegbuzie A. J., & Turner, L. A. (2007). Toward a definition of mixed methods research, Journal of Mixed Methods Research, Vol. 1(2), pp.112-133 OConnor, T. (2001) Qualitative Research Methods. (WWW) faculty.ncwc.ed/TOConnor/308/308lect09.htm (May 4th, 2004) Weber, R. (1985) Basic Content Analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Bauer, M. (2000). Classical content analysis. In: M. Bauer & G. Gaskell (Eds.) Qualitative Researching with Text, Image and Sound, pp. 131151. London: Sage. Palmquist, M. (1999). Introduction to Research in Library and Information Science: Content Analysis. (WWW). www.gslis.utexas.edu/palmquist/courses/content/.html. (May 4th, 2006). Dasiopolou, S., Saathoff, C., Mylonas, P., Avrithis, Y., Kompatsious, Y., Staab, S., & Strinzkis, M. (2008) Introducing Context and Reasoning in Visual Content Analysis: An Ontology-Based Framework, In: Y. Kompatsious & P. Hobson (Eds.) Semantic Multimedia and Ontologies. London: Springer. Mertens, D. (1998). Research Methods in Education and Psychology: Integrating Diversity with Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. James, N., & Busher, H. (2007). Ethical issues in online educational research: protecting privacy, establishing authenticity in email interviewing. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 30(1), 101-113. Carspecken, P. (1996). Critical Ethnography in Educational Research: A Theoretical and Practical Guide. New York, NY: Routledge. Bernard, R. (2000). Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Glesne, C., & Peshkin, A. (1992). Becoming qualitative researchers: An introduction. White Plains, NY: Longman. Diamantopoulou, S., Henricsson, L., & Rydell, A.M. (2005). ADHD symptoms and peer relations of children in a community sample : examining associated problems, self-perceptions, and gender differences, International Journal of Behavioral Development, 29(5), 388-398. Conn, K.(2008) Cyberbulling and other student technology misuses in K-12 American schools: the legal landmines. Conference Proceedings, 17th ANZELA Conference, Christchurch 8-10 Oct, pp.121-132. Sandholtz, J.H., Ringstaff, C., & Dwyer, D.C. (1995) Student engagement revisited: Views from technology-rich classrooms. Apple Education Research Reports, pp.29-30. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education. Kook, J. (1997) Computers and communication networks in education settings in the twenty-first century: Preparation for educators new role, Educational Technology, 37(2), pp. 56-60. Cuthwell, J.P. (2002) Virtual Learning: The Impact of ICT on the Way Young People Work and Learn. Burlington, VT: Ashgate. (p.93) Kleinberg, J. (2008) The convergence of social and technological networks, Communications of the ACM,, 51(11), pp.66-72. Huberman, B.A., Romero, D.M., & Wu, F. (2008) Crowdsourcing, attention and productivity. (WWW) Conference Procedings 2009 World Wide Web Conference Madrid, http://arxiv.org/abs/0809.3030, (accessed March 12th, 2009) Nigg, J.T. (2006) What Causes ADHD? Understanding What Goes Wrong and Why? London: Guildford Press (p.102) Abbott, C. (1998) Unpublished Research, London, Kings College. Fovet, F. (2007) Using distance learning electronic tools within the class to engage ADHD students: a key to inclusion? Conference Proceedings 37th ADEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Milwaukee: Frontiers in Education. Keefe, M. (2008). The super-teacher. Conference Proceedings, Australian Teacher Educator Association Annual Conference, Sunshine Coast, July 2008 Lenhart, A., & Madden, M. (2007). Teens, privacy & online social networks. Pew Internet and American Life Project Report. Dwyer, C., Hiltz, S.R., & Lampe, C. (2007). Trust and privacy concern within social networking sites: A comparison of Facebook and MySpace. Proceedings of AMCIS 2007, Keystone, CO. Wolak, J., Mitchell K., & Finkelhor, D. (2006) Online victimization of youth: five years later. Report from Crime Against Children Research Centre, University of New Hampshire. Winram, M. (2008) Lawyers an educators working together to protect schools, teachers and students from You-Tube and other websites that malign them, Conference Proceedings, 17th ANZELA Conference, Christchurch 8-10 Oct, pp.133-150.

978-1-4244-4714-5/09/$25.00 2009 Crown October 18 - 21, 2009, San Antonio, TX 39th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference W2G-6