Can We Join Them? Will We Join Them? I Hope So!

[Connie Masson]

“If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them” is an article in The Journal (Transforming Education Through Technology). The magazine was shared with me recently as there was an article about librarians becoming the technology experts in their school much like many have in our district. I referenced that article in my last post.

This article also caught my eye. It says that educators who recognize how much social networking engages and informs kids are creating their own sites designed as learning tools to foster collaboration among students, teacher, and parents. I believe we need to stay on top of the methods of doing this safely and move in this direction as a part of our five year plan. The article talks about launching a school-oriented social network. I believe it is worth thinking about, discussing and planning for the future now. “One of the roles of education is to help student learn to socialize” says Karen Greenwood Henke, Chair of the Emerging Technologies Committee at the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). A recent study said in using these collaboration tools, part of the role of the school would be to help students understand how to use them effectively, with security in mind, to advance themselves instead of using the tools in negative ways. A secure school social network would enable students to make mistakes and learn what is acceptable online behavior. Check out “A Guide to four student-friendly social networking destinations” also on the link.

What are your thoughts for planning for this? How do we get principals to promote this and teacher to do this with only marketing from Instructional Technology and no added load on DTS?

Part of the Plan

"IT personnel need to make teachers aware of district policies and bandwidth limitations, which may affect how well the sites perform. 'It makes sense for a school district to have an overall strategy for this,' Karen says. "It's also important to have dialogue between IT and the teachers regarding district policies, bandwidth, and potential problems with blocked sites."

What do you think? I look forward to your comments.

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Charlene O'Hanlon, "If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em," T.H.E. Journal, 8/1/2007, http://www.thejournal.com/articles/21082