According to a news release from the American Library Association
(
http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2008/june2008/AASLsurvey.cfm)
"The data is a powerful indicator that social networking tools are becoming more and more vital in a student's education," said AASL President Sara Kelly Johns. "Group collaboration and discussion are becoming more evident in the learning process. These processes create a community of learners where a student can help lead the educational process."
The data mentioned here is in the news release; it indicated that media specialists and schools in general are leaning towards using social networking as a part of the educational process.
I think that social networking is something needs to be encouraged and monitored by the school system. If we can teach students how to use the social networking sites properly and safely maybe we could guard against things like cyber bullying. Part of our job as media specialists should be to teach the students how to properly network online. It is one of the new ways to communicate and share information - it is an important tool to learn.
My school uses the Follett Destiny system, which does allow for some monitored social networking - students can share book reviews and book suggestions with one another and can "friend" each other on the system. If schools can find other safe ways to social network like this, we could help our students learn how to collaborate appropriately on the internet.
Social networking to any extend could be useful in the school system - I know that some school systems have emails and calendars available for the students and teachers to communicate easily. This seems like a good way to begin social networking as a school - the idea is to share information easily with each other. It would be so much easier to be able to send an email or message to my students to communicate ideas, then to have to wait till when I see them later. The other important use of social networking is that students would be leading their own education. I think that many of us could witness, through experiencing our online classes, that we do take a large role in how our classmates receive and perceive information. If our students could have that experience outside of the classroom, the possibilities could be endless!
As media specialists and instructional technologists, I think we will see more and more about social networking in the coming years. We will be expected to incorporate it into our standards - it certainly helps meet the 21st Century standards through collaboration. We may as well jump on the bandwagon and find a safe and secure way to allow social networking at our schools!
Children are beginning to use the computer at a younger age. In "Social Networking Goes to School," Michelle Davis stated that some students begin using sites such as Webkins and Club Penquins when they are in elementary school. Realizing this shouldn't we continue the practice each year opening new sites for the students's use? Davis provided examples of how technology is being used including a principal whose use of Twitter benefited his school with a donation of technology equipment by a locale business, a school using Facebook as the school website, blogging for school projects and using Skype to talk with peers in other states about the projects. Ning is being used for professional development and Project K-Nect is being used for homework assistance.
ReplyDeleteTroup County schools filters the social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, and youtube. Project collaboration can be done on sites such as Google Docs. Certainly social networking can be very useful to our students and faculty and should be used whenever appropriate.
Davis, M.(2010). Social Networking Goes To
ReplyDeleteSchool. Retreived on October 24, 2010 from
www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2010/06/16/03/
networking.h03.html
I agree that social networking can be an integral part of the education process. Just last year, I received a Smart Board in my classroom. For the first few days, it was sort of a novelty for me and my students. Now I don't know what I would do without one. I believe that many administrators, and teachers, see social networking as a novelty and think there is no way we can use it educationally. However, if we embrace these free resources, I'm sure we will begin to use social networking cites in ways we never imagined and can open up so many pathways to learning for students who may not usually succeed in traditional assignments. I believe that school districts' technology specialists should get over their fears of the unknown, unblock social networking cites, and let the classroom teachers, media specialists, and other educators use these tools effectively.
ReplyDeleteOur school has the Follett Destiny system as well. I agree it is a good way to start students using social networks in school. This is also an opportunity to teach students the correct way to use this tool because the media specialist can monitor the students. The media specialist and teachers can collaborate on group projects; and monitor students interacting in their discussions. Students have knowledge of some social networks already. Teachers and media specialists can teach the students the benefits and the dangers of what to watch for.
ReplyDeleteLike you said, much of our job as a media specialist is to teach students how to use the internet safely. No matter what you opinion on it is, social networks are a major part of the youth lifestyle today. By using these social networking programs in the schools, we are reaching students in another way. It takes so much to relate to students today and to make learning relevant for them,why not use social networking tools? By building stronger 21st century learners through experience, we are bettering our future as well as theirs.
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