opportunities in education
Overview:
The Internet has provided an abundance of opportunities for students at the elementary level as teachers have gained more and more access to the latest technological trends. Administrators who were once wary of social media sites have now embraced them as a means of opening up more avenues for their students and school. Teachers have also learned to embrace social media and have accepted the fact that it has changed the way they teach and students learn (Davis, 2010). As Silvia Tolisano, a 21st –century-learning specialist at the Gottlieb Day School in Jacksonville, Florida, explains, “It creates a global awareness that there is a wider world out there and that we are not alone.” (Davis, 2010). Now when students have questions for their teachers or other peers, they blog about it, text, or instant message to find the answers. Some schools in North Carolina are using Project K-Nect, a grant-funded program that uses smartphones as teaching tools. Other schools are using Twitter and Facebook to communicate with parents. Either way, both students and educators are taking advantage of new technology and bringing it to schools in ways they never have before. |
ways to safely use social networking in the classroom:
Teachers have begun to provide a safe way for their students, as young as Kindergarteners, to utilize the Internet. The rapid integration of technology into our everyday lives has made learning about technology imperative beginning at the elementary level. In order for students to be prepared for a future job, they will have to learn how to use technology. If students are to begin learning at such an early age, the proper safeguards and guidelines on how to navigate the Internet safely must be in place. The Lodi Unified School District in San Joaquin County, California is among the 50,000 other schools worldwide who utilize Common Sense Media's Curriculum and make classes for teachers on digital citizenship mandatory. "It's to the point where every class is just going to have to have an Internet-related lesson plan built in," said Lodi Unified’s tech-services director Dale Munsch. (Herron, 2012)
The curriculum focuses on:
By allowing children to experience technology that includes blogging and tweeting at an early age, they can learn to view technology as an educational tool, not just a form of entertainment. As Paul Wurster writes in Teach Elementary Students How to Social Network, "Knowing how to use social networks appropriately and digital citizenship are skills that we shouldn't wait to teach." (Wurster, 2012) He further states his argument by acknowledging the fact that students are most likely already using Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of social media at home, so why not teach them how to do it right at school? By setting up a school-based social networking system, educators are providing a controlled environment for their students where they are not being asked for personal information or being targeted for marketing purposes. Educators can also limit access, monitor use, and prevent uninvited guests from entering. |
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school-based social networking for students:
There are certainly ethical, legal, and moral risks associated with introducing social networking at school. In fact, there are many great arguments as to why Internet use at school needs to be restricted. Some include keeping children safe from predators, dangers of leaking personal information to strangers, and being exposed to inappropriate photos and language. Still, by teaching children to become digital citizens and how to use social networking safely and to their advantage, students will learn that the Internet can be a great educational tool to use. Digital citizenship as defined by Mike Ribble and Mike Bailey in Digital Citizenship in Schools (2007) is "the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use." Teaching this in conjunction with a school-based social network is key to implementing technology safely in the classroom. Ribble and Bailey's nine elements of digital citizenship are shown below: Promote Digital Citizenship through School-Based Social Networking by Matthew R. Winn details how to implement social networks into the classroom. As explained in the article, social networking can be integrated into schools by serving as an extension of the classroom. Teachers have also benefited from this experience by having the opportunity to become involved in their students' lives. As one teacher commented, "It allowed me to communicate with them in their world of social networking while also being protected by the oversight of school administration. I think it is a very strong tool for safe communication with your students outside the classroom." (Winn, December/January 2011-2012)
Social networking is a great way to promote digital citizenship and introduce it to students through a safe means of communication. In the right column are ways in which social networking can be safely used in the classroom. list of
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options for schools:
ways to use
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educational benefits of social networking:
As previously mentioned, many classrooms and school districts are jumping on the technology train and heading for the future of learning. Many administrators and teachers have had great success with this new integration and are paving the way for other educators to follow. As Tom DiScipio, co-founder of ePals noted, "We need a dialog to determine what kind of curriculum-based activities can be enhanced through use of social networking tools. There are many tools available. The key is to incorporate a holistic approach--weaving a combination of tools throughout the curriculum and across the pedagogy." (Social Networking for Schools: Incentives for Participation, 2009) There are an infinite number of ways to integrate technology into classrooms and that includes a plethora of social networking websites that are geared toward educational purposes. The key is finding a safe and effective tool that incorporates opportunities for learning. A paper entitled, Informational Brief on Social Networking in Education by Adam Goldfarb, Natalie Pregibon, Jonathan Shrem, and Emily Zyko outlines the benefits and concerns associated with implementing educational networking in New York State districts and schools. Among the benefits are:
1. Early recognition of student needs and formative assessment. 2. Establishment of classroom community. 3. Student engagement. 4. Increased sense of student achievement. 5. Information management. 6. Access to marginalized students. http://www.p12.nysed.gov/technology/internet_safety/documents/InformationalBriefonSocialNetworkinginEducation.pdf |
social networks for educators:
The Apple
Where teachers meet and learn. Classroom 2.0 Steve Hargadon's popular social networking site for educators. Classroom Earth A social network for environmental education created in partnership between the Weather Channel and the National Environmental Education Foundation, submitted by an NEA Today reader. Educate Interactive Provides the educational community with opportunities to connect and collaborate in order to share resources, lessons, and best practices. Eledblog.com A place for educators to gather, share and learn, submitted by two NEA Today readers. English Companion A social network for English teachers, submitted by an NEA Today reader. NextGen Teachers Educators connecting to explore the next generation of teaching and learning. Ning in Education Using Ning for educational social networks. TeachAde The Online Community for Teachers Teachers Recess A social network developed to provide everyday teaching solutions. http://www.nea.org/home/20746.htm |