Social Media in Education

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This post is going to be about you talking and me listening. Today I’m going to tap you for some ideas and thoughts on a subject that has been rolling around in my mind for a few weeks now: the potential of using of social media in public education.

Like it or not, social media outlets are transforming the way we interact with people. From Facebook to Twitter to personal blogs, more and more people are starting to recognize the value in making social media a key part of their marketing and communications strategies. With these tools gaining such a vast amount of attention and usage in the corporate world, in churches, and even in politics, I was wondering how it might be leveraged to improve public education from any or all of these perspectives:

Student Perspective - How can teachers and administrators utilize social media in a way that positively involves students? What social media products could we use to enhance their education while still maintaining their innocence, privacy, and safety?

Parent Perspective - How can we more effectively involve parents in education through social media? If you are a parent, where do you see the school system falling short in communicating with you? Could social media effectively bridge that communication gap?

Teacher Perspective - How might teachers use social media to generate a higher level of collaboration with each other? How can they leverage it to improve their teaching? If you are a teacher, what features of social media interest you and how do you see it helping you in your job?

You definitely don’t have to be involved in education to answer these questions — in fact, I’m most interested in hearing from people who regularly use social in a field outside of education. Please take a few moments to comment below. Your responses could lay a foundation to help educators more effectively close the growing gap between where public education is and where it should be.

http://intensedebate.com/people/patriciazell patriciazell

Michael, I've just been thinking about this since I read how a teacher used Twitter with his students. For one, I think we could twitter reminders about homework, tests, projects, etc. to both parents and students. I also wonder what it would be like to have a class Facebook page–would students use it to ask for help or to continue classroom discussions? The biggest problems would be with the school administrations and with students posting inappropriate comments.
Lacy

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http://intensedebate.com/people/MichaelSGray MichaelSGray

I agree with you about administrator approval — its always helpful to have a principal that sees the vision for how new ideas can add value to school-home communication.

I like your thoughts about Twittering homework reminders, but that would work much better for you in high school than for me in third grade. I think I'm going to do what you suggested and make a Facebook page. The communication will be more between me and parents, but I think it'll open up more opportunities for connection.

Do you have any thoughts on teacher-to-teacher collaboration? I'm thinking Twitter would be a good tool for that.
Sarah

I think technology can be used in such a way that is beneficial and helpful to all involved (twittering reminders, a class facebook page). However, with so much technology the line often seems to be blurred between what is appropriate and what is not. When I taught high school for 6 years I used both phone calls and emails as my primary means of communication with parents. The problem, I soon discovered with emails, were that parents would write email after email and if I didn't respond immediately they'd send more emails and then start calling the school complaining about how I didn't get back to them. The misconception is that email should illicit and immediate response. They seemed to forget that I taught classes all day and didn't just sit in front of a computer responding to email. I would answer email every morning and every afternoon before I left, but for many this never seemed to satisfy them. It got to the point where somedays I spent my entire prep time answering ridiculous emails that parents wouldn't waste their time to call about because it "wasn't that important" yet they felt the need to send me 16 emails about whatever it was. So, when I think about having more technology that can intrude and blur the line it makes me a little nervous. THere needs to be boundaries.
http://intensedebate.com/people/MichaelSGray MichaelSGray

I've been there. Even if you clearly communicate the guidelines for email response time, some parents still demand an immediate response. Effectively dealing with parents is one skill that any good teacher must have because, when it comes to their kids, parents tend to go brain dead.

If a teacher or school does decide to utilize social media, then they'll definitely have to stay on top of it. I share your concern with adding something to the school day that seems like it might cause friction or waste valuable time planning or grading. I see the value more in terms of being able to communicate with everyone at once rather than individually. Obviously the individual contact is still going to be there, but its far easier for me to send a Facebook update telling parents about a change in the field trip departure time than it is to call everyone.

I said in a past comment that I'm not exactly sure if I know you. I can't place you. Are you someone I know personally or did you just come across my blog at random? If you are willing, I'd love to get some information on who you are.

Thanks for your comments!
Sarah

I came across your blog randomly (actually through your wife's first a while back), but recognized your name. I couldn't place you at first but then read you attended GCU, which is where I also attended and then I realized I knew of you. We have many mutual friends. If you give me an email I'll give you more specifics.
http://intensedebate.com/people/patriciazell patriciazell

I'm not sure how that would work because our teachers tend to be quite busy during the day. Also, since we are on a semester-long block schedule, we do not collaborate, as far as classwork is concerned, between departments. Teachers might be able to twitter what they are learning in conferences. Any other suggestions?
http://intensedebate.com/people/MichaelSGray MichaelSGray

We seem to work in two different worlds because we are basically forced to collaborate on everything in my school. It might just be the difference between primary and secondary education.

I like your thoughts about using Twitter to respond to conferences, and I agree that the teaching profession doesn't lend itself to checking the Twitter feed every half hour. Perhaps there is another form of social media outside of Twitter and Facebook that we could utilize. I'll have to keep mulling that over.
http://intensedebate.com/people/patriciazell patriciazell

There is a vast difference between primary and secondary education–I've taught on both levels. I know that in the early grades in our school system, everyone in a grade level is on the same page. At the high school, especially in my department–English–in the past, three different teachers would be teaching the same course and be teaching totally different topics and skills. I finally asked to have all the juniors and seniors who are not planning on a 4-year college to be looped with me as their only English teacher for their last two years. I'm hoping I can stabilize what they are learning and help they get ready for the real world.

And, I'll keep mulling along with you.
Sarah

Patricia, I know what you mean. I taught high school English for six years and even though there may be three teachers teaching Senior English we would not necessarily be teaching the same things. We'd have standard skills we were expected to teach, yet the tools we use to taught them were up to each individual teacher. That could mean each class was reading different novels, writing different essays, taking different tests, etc. Sometimes on our own we'd get together and plan a unit together to make it easier but that was more the exception than the rule.
http://intensedebate.com/people/patriciazell patriciazell

Sarah, were you on a semester-long block course schedule or a year-around course schedule?
Sarah

Hi Patricia, I taught in two districts and both primarily used the semester long block course schedule. For the most part I was able to retain the majority of my students with always the addition and subtraction of a few. One of the years I taught in a Phoenix school district we used a year long schedule, but went back to semester long blocks after that trial year. How about you?
http://intensedebate.com/people/patriciazell patriciazell

We're on semester blocks which I like, but I wish I could have my students for 80 minutes a day for a whole year. I've been working on convincing my colleagues that we need to have a less literature-based curriculum. For the most part, our school seems to be teaching English like they did in pre-technology days. I convinced them to let me teach all of the juniors and seniors who are not going to 4 year colleges. I'm planning to work with those students on becoming fluent readers and writers.
Sarah

We experimented with a variety of schedules over the years. In one I had each class for 55 minutes a day. In another I had even hour classes Monday and Thursday for 110 minutes and 55 on Wednesdays and then odd classes on Tuesday and Friday for 110 minutes and 55 on Wednesdays. Probably the one I enjoyed the most was even hour classes Monday, Thursday, and Friday for 55 minutes and on Tuesday for 120 minutes and then odd classes on Monday, Thursday, Friday for 55 and Wednesday for 120. I do think there is a lot of merit in "tracking" students. Obviously, those attending college will need to have a different skill set then those planning on entering the work force upon graduation or those planning to attend a technical or skill school. I will say that for the two districts I taught there was a pretty good balance between literature, grammar, writing skills, reading skills, etc.
http://intensedebate.com/people/patriciazell patriciazell

You are so right about the need to put students either on the college track or the career track. Our administration wants to do away with the tracks, so I'm hoping the looping of junior and senior career English with me will convince of the folly of their proposed actions. My goals for the juniors are to increase their reading and writing fluencies and to help them figure out what they want to do after graduation. Then, the seniors' main focus will be their senior projects which include research papers, power points, and presentations. Most of my students are so lacking in basic skills, and I believe they do because of the content they have been "taught" in their earlier grades. I am thinking a lot about how I am going to convince my students to get board and to work on improving their reading and writing skills.

Social Media in Education

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