• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Emerging Scholars Blog

InterVarsity's Emerging Scholars Network

DONATE
  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Our Bloggers
    • Commenting Policy
  • Reading Lists
  • Scholar’s Compass
    • Scholar’s Compass Booklet
    • View Recent Posts
  • Connect
    • Membership
    • Events
    • Donate
    • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Christ / Christ and the Academy / Abstaining from Social Media

Abstaining from Social Media

August 20, 2009 by Tom Grosh IV 3 Comments

As you begin a new term, what do you think about abstaining from social media? I had some friends who fasted from Facebook through Lent and according to Inside Higher Ed a professor offered a class extra credit if they stopped using social media during his course (see Extra Credit: Abstain from Facebook).

How many took him up on the offer? 12 out of 35. How many succeeded? 6 out of 12. I wonder how he tracked and/or verified what I assume to be self-reporting.

In what manner does social media help you get to know your colleagues? Is it awkward to use with those above or below you in the campus structure? Do all faculty need to have a Facebook page to relate to students or would students prefer not to have faculty know what they’re chatting about?

Note: HT to Ivy Jungle’s July Update for information regarding this article.

About the author:

Tom Grosh IV
Website | Posts

Tom enjoys daily conversations regarding living out the Biblical Story with his wife Theresa and their four girls, around the block, at Elizabethtown Brethren in Christ Church (where he teaches adult electives and co-leads a small group), among healthcare professionals as the Northeast Regional Director for the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA), and in higher ed as a volunteer with the Emerging Scholars Network (ESN). For a number of years, the Christian Medical Society / CMDA at Penn State College of Medicine was the hub of his ministry with CMDA. Note: Tom served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship / USA for 20+ years, including 6+ years as the Associate Director of ESN. He has written for the ESN blog from its launch in August 2008. He has studied Biology (B.S.), Higher Education (M.A.), Spiritual Direction (Certificate), Spiritual Formation (M.A.R.), Ministry to Emerging Generations (D.Min.). To God be the glory!

    This author does not have any more posts.

Share this:

  • Email
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • More
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest

Filed Under: Christ and the Academy, Life in the Academy, Technology in Higher Ed Tagged With: community, Facebook, Social Media

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelly says

    August 20, 2009 at 2:48 pm

    Great article! I liked the one prof’s semester long challenge. Ironically though, I found this post through an update on my Facebook wall….

    Periodically, I will have someone change my facebook password for me, so I can go for a specific length of time without being on Facebook. It always ends up being a good thing! I do like FB and think it is useful, but again, all things in moderation.

    Reply
  2. Hannah says

    August 20, 2009 at 4:18 pm

    I guess it’s sort of ironic for me to say this via blog comments, but I’m an old fashioned holdout on Facebook. I know some other people who do some good things with it, but I think if I got it I would just waste time.

    I guess I also feel that it can be pretty difficult to block out one-on-one, face to face time with people, and I might be distracted from that by social networking sites. I’m afraid that I would spend time on Facebook interacting in a more distanced way with people I don’t know very well, rather than pursuing deeper relationships via phone calls, thoughtful email exchanges, or face to face meetings with people I’m learning to know more deeply. As I said, I don’t think that’s a problem for everyone who uses Facebook, but I think it would be for me.

    Hannah

    Reply
  3. Guy Chmieleski says

    August 20, 2009 at 9:49 pm

    This post raises some good, and important questions…

    Although I’m fairly new to the social media world, I am finding it a great way to 1) connect with students who live in this world, and 2) connect with other professionals who are thinking and raising questions about the same kinds of things I am.

    While it is an environment that can definitely be too time consuming and potentially take away from face-to-face time, in moderation I think it really is a good thing to give some time to.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Become a Member

Membership is Free. Sign up and receive our monthly newsletter and access ESN member benefits.

Join ESN Today

Scholar’s Compass Booklet

Scholar's Compass Booklet

Click here to get your copy

Top Posts

  • The Message of Genesis 1
  • Faith and Reason, Part 2: Augustine
  • Faith and Reason, Part 3: Aquinas
  • Writing a Christian Personal Statement
  • Christian Views of Creation

Facebook Posts

Facebook Posts

Footer

About Us

The Emerging Scholars Network (ESN) is a national network within InterVarsity’s Graduate & Faculty Ministries which supports those on the academic pathway as they work out how their academic vocation serves God and others. We encourage and equip undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, and early career faculty as they navigate each stage of their academic vocation and transition to the next step in or beyond the academy.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Recent Posts

  • Confession
  • Temptation: The Little Lie
  • Science Corner: Finding the Proteins of Theseus

Article Categories

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact Us
Member of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students
Copyright © 2023 - InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA ®. All rights reserved.

InterVarsity, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, and the InterVarsity logo are trademarks of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA and its affiliated companies.