FriendsBOOK, the only BOOK I read

By: Jan Xixian Tan

They are filled with photos, comments and arguments which are sometimes amusing.

Facebook is one of the most trafficked sites that keeps user up-to-date with their friends every second, every minute, and every hour.

SEGi management have monitored students’ performance before they implementing the policy to block access to Facebook on all college computers on June 2010.

“Some students complain that they have no computer to use as there are too many students occupying the computers for hours on Facebook games”, says Joseph Lee, assistant IT manager.

  

After a few observations and meeting with the managing department regarding this issue, the management finally has decided to implement this policy in forbidding students to accessing to social networking websites using computers at IT lab, as well as in the library.

  

“I believe that Facebook should be 

something that students

should do during their free time."

Former American Degree Program (ADP) psychology lecturer Ms Samantha states: “I believe that Facebook should be something that students should do during their free time.

“The IT lab is for academic purposes not for entertainment.

“Unless they have a very good reason like academic-related matters, they should not be allowed to access Facebook.

“Since the IT lab forbid it, then, (it) is good,” she adds.

The management urges students to make full use of the computer for academic purposes instead of checking in every few hours on social networking sites.

Therefore, the IT department suggests that students should be prevented from accessing these social networking websites.

Also, a student from ADP, Polaris, 22, asserts that the restriction is a good way as somehow students occupy the computers for hours on social networking websites playing games or chatting with their friends.

There are even students watching drama series online.

He feels frustrated as he, like other students, is not able to use computer to complete or even print out their assignments promptly.

To be fair, this policy also applies to lecturers and administrative staff.

Joseph Lee declares that during working hours and lecturing, students and lecturers must focus on the studies.

Browsing through social networking websites on campus will only distract them from what they are supposed to do.

Nevertheless, the IT department will unlock Facebook upon request.

A Marketing lecturer, Dannie Lim is of the opinion that: “Facebook is a good platform for social networking and I have conducted a few classes via Facebook.”

He adds: “We must at least be ready for it when technology totally takes over our lives as it already is.”

Another student, Ho Pooi Kwan, 25, from Business Faculty claims that she spent approximately 5 hours on Facebook every day.

Ho also occasionally attends virtual class via Facebook.

She, therefore, views not being able to access the site on college campus as a hassle.

The IT department welcomes students to fully utilize the computers at the lab; they have no intention to prevent students from using the facility.

IT department staff, Tham Chye Leong, says: “We are observing the students all the time, there might be more websites banned in the coming days.”

He says student can use their own computers to log in to social networking websites if they wish to search for other information or communicate with their course mates and lecturers.