5-4- Social Networking

Millions of people use social networking each day. From following your favorite stars on Twitter, catching up with friends on Facebook, posting your resume on LinkedIn, uploading photos to Flickr or Picasa, or recording a vlog for YouTube, social networking has quickly intertwined its way in our society. However, not all places have been quick to embrace social networking. Schools are one of these institutions that have been slow to allow social networking.  The question is, should we tap into the many potential benefits of social networking by allowing it use in schools?

Many schools discourage the use of social networking tools due to concerns about exposing students to objectionable content. Some districts also have concerns over boundary issues between student-teacher interactions when using social media due to past scandals. Even though numerous schools filter or block many of the social networking websites because of these reasons, other schools have embraced social networking. Researchers at the University of Minnesota have found that when students use social networking sites they “are actually practicing the kinds of 21st-century skills we want them to develop to be successful today…  students are developing a positive attitude towards using technology systems, editing and customizing content, and thinking about online design and layout. They're also sharing creative original work like poetry and film, and practicing safe and responsible use of information and technology. The Web sites offer tremendous educational potential. By using social media in the classroom itself, teachers can also gain insight into student learning. Nick Pandolfo states that the “data collected by video games and social media sites can be provided, sometimes in real time, to teachers who can then use it to better understand their students and tailor instruction to meet individual needs.”  For example, a teacher could pose a simple question over Twitter and be able to determine from the student replies who might have a good understanding the lesson and who may need more support. ." Joel Gagne sees other potential benefits to school districts as low cost way to increase engagement and accountability to the community by posting events, budgets, policy campaigns, etc.

While there are legitimate reasons to block social media, I feel that schools can no longer afford to ignore social media entirely. Our job is still to prepare students for the future. Social networking is  one of the many  21^st-century tools  students will productively use when they enter the workforce. In the same way that we do not let unlicensed drivers drive hazardous materials down the highway, we need to provide the proper training in digital citizenship and responsible use for students before they are allowed to use these tools. It would probably not be very productive to allow complete access without proper training have students would quickly become distracted and not use the tool for the intended use. Kristen Wideen has taught her first graders to use social media as a tool for learning and not just something you might use for entertainment. This is not something that might be completed overnight, the procedures may have to be modeled and practiced for over time. In addition to showing and teaching students how to responsibly use these tools, we should also inform students of the potential dangers and consequences of their misuse. By teaching this at a young age we might also help students avoid potential trouble in the future.

After initially blocking almost all social networking tools, my district is now slowly to allowing limited access for teachers to use websites such Twitter and YouTube, but continues to filter many other websites and tools. I do hope that as teachers become more informed and trained on how teach students Internet responsibility and acceptable use, that our district will allow access to many more these of these tools. If teachers are provided with this training the overall potential benefits far outweighs the negatives of using social media in the classroom.

3.3- Professional Learning Network

A personal learning network (PLN) can be an invaluable resource for an educator. PLN are defined as “Personal Learning Networks are systems that help learners take control of and manage their own

learning” (Epcke, 2008). A PLN can be a group of colleagues at your school or district. The old saying that “two heads are better than one” can apply to PLN’s as each member comes together to share ideas, discuss strategies and approaches, and teach each other about new tools. All members can help to contribute the body of knowledge and skills of the whole group. Professional Learning Networks more commonly refer to the exchanging of ideas and discussions on the Internet using various web tools such as blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Skype, and many others. Online PLN’s can do much the same as the traditional learning communities at your own school only on a much larger scale. Like the learning community at your school, you will continue to exchange information and ideas, but you now have are learning with many more educators in diverse settings. Instead of having 5 to 10 colleagues working together, you may work with several hundred, or even thousands, from all across the world. 

One blog I have recently read is titled Dianne's Digital Discoveries (http://diannekrause.edublogs.org). In her posts, the author presents digital tools, information about educational technology topics, and insight into these resources. I  like the fact that the author shows practical uses of different tools. In her most recent post, she presented a brief overview of two new tools; penzu an online journal or diary and myHistro. I see many applications for both of these sites and will be adding them to my toolbox. In addition to those two tools, she also links her posts to her Diigo account with even more tools! I see this blog as being a great way for educators to keep up to date and informed about new tools and resources.

Another blog I enjoy reading is Cool Cat Teacher Blog (http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com). This blog is similar to the one discussed above, but it tends to offer more commentary and news about education-related topics than presenting various tools. The author makes regular updates in the form of “Daily Education and Technology News for Schools” to her blog. Not only does she present tools, but also give tips and help for their use. She also posts book reviews and even has a podcast, which can be especially helpful with educator’s hectic schedules! Not only is this blog helpful in finding out information about new tools, it also keeps teachers informed with current topics and trends.

References:

Epcke, J. (2008, November). creatingaPLN - PLN defined. Retrieved from http://creatingapln.wikispaces.com/PLN_defined

Digital Citizenship- Blog 2-2

Before people are born today, they begin to compile a digital footprint. This may include medical records, emails, digital photos, text messages, and so forth. Initially this is done by the person’s parents, family, and friends, and medical professionals, but a few years later the person their selves will add to their digital footprint by signing up for different websites, email services, social networking, sharing services,  etc. We have websites that track where we browse, GPS that tracks where we are, and credit records that track what we buy- all without us knowing (unless you read the many, many pages of fine print of the terms of service agreement). This footprint then continues to grow as we get older, and even after we pass on.

So should we therefore just stop using all of the software, devices, web tools, social networking sites, and other modern technologies? That is not a practical decision in this day and age. We should rather be aware of this and choose to use software, websites, and other tools carefully. You may not always want to install free toolbars, free games, and other “adware” or “malware.” It’s like the old saying goes; you don’t get anything for free. Sure you can have a free game, toolbar, or other web tool but be aware that it will usually come with a loss of privacy as well. It is then your responsibility to judge if you accept the trade-off of privacy for use of the tool.

This responsibility is part of digital citizenship. Digital citizenship is defined as “the norms of appropriate, responsible technology use” (Ribble, 2013). There are nine themes of digital citizenship which are encompassed in the categories of include Respect, Educate, and Protect. The themes under the category of respect include netiquette, equal access, and legal ramifications. Under educate we have the themes of communication, literacy, and commerce. Finally, under protect we have rights and responsibility, safety and security, and health and welfare. (Ribble’s website delves with more detailed information about each specific element). These are the elements of teachers and parents must teach to their students and children so that they will be able to use the Internet safely and responsibly.

The question then arises when should children gain their digital citizenship? As stated earlier, our digital footprint begins even before we are born. Therefore, some degree of our digital citizenship occurs before birth. There is no practical way which we cannot control or limit this. The age that children should start using the Internet, devices, games, and other modern technological tools, should be up to their parents. Some parents will allow their children to use the Internet and devices at a very young age with close supervision. Many of my fourth graders have Facebook and/or Twitter accounts, but many do not. Usually parents will give the children permission when they have discussed digital citizenship with their children and feel that they are responsible or mature enough to use these tools. However, teachers cannot automatically assume that all students were taught these skills by their parents and know about, and practice these them. We must be sure that we are also reinforcing these elements at school in order for students to use the Internet and other modern technological devices responsibly. With the heightened expectations brought on by the Common Core State Standards, more and more standardized assessments actually being completed by utilizing technology, and students starting to use technology at a very young age, it is important that we begin teaching digital citizenship, at a developmentally appropriate level,  to our students when they start Kindergarten. This should provide the foundational basis of the concept that will grow as they get older. 

References

Ribble, M. (2013). Digital Citizenship. Retrieved from http://www.digitalcitizenship.net