If you don’t yet have administrative or board blessing for curricular use of social networking, you might want to download the new NSBA (National School Board Association) study funded by Microsoft, News Corporation, and Verizon.
You may have already guessed it: the Internet is not always as dangerous as some people say. Students use it in their work as learners:
Students report that one of the most common topics of conversation on the social networking scene is education. Almost 60 percent of students who use social networking talk about education topics online and, surprisingly, more than 50 percent talk specifically about schoolwork.
The report argues for the positive influence of social networking tools and urges districts to reexamine policies that limit educational opportunities:
. . . the vast majority of school districts have stringent rules against nearly all forms of social networking during the school day–even though students and parents report few problem behaviors online. Indeed, both district leaders and parents believe that social networking could play a positive role in students’ lives and they recognize opportunities for using it in education–at a time when teachers now routinely assign homework that requires the Internet to complete. In light of the study findings, school districts may want to consider reexamining their policies and practices and explore ways in which they could use social networking for educational purposes.
One of my favorite quotes:
Safety policies remain important, as does teaching student about online safety and responsible online expression, but students may learn these lessons while they’re actually using social networking tools.
The study concludes with some very reasonable recommendations for school board members (you may want to share these at meetings):
- Consider using social networking for staff communication and professional development
- Find ways to harness the educational value of social networking
- Ensure equitable access
- Pay attention to the nonconformists (as an influential leadership cadre among their peers and to improve their motivation and achievement)
- Reexamine social networking policies
- Encourage social networking companies to increase educational value
1 response so far ↓
If you want to get maximum mileage with this type of report and facts at the administrative level always remember some key things:
1. What’s the benefit?
2. What’s the cost?
3. Who’s going to do it?
4. What has to be taken away to make it happen?
If you can answer those questions in your pitch, you’re in a much better position for business minded administrators. Remember, reviewing policies and procedures translates to “work, work, work” in admin speak. Find the spoonful of sugar for the medicine.
(Nice EdTech Brainstorm by the way!)
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