Saturday, July 20, 2013

E-activity 2.1

Here's my mind map for the topic:

'Is social media and effective means for schools to engage with students and their families?'


An introduction of your central topic of research, that is, your identified change with digital technology in education.
At the beginning of term 2 I started in a new role as the principal of a small Catholic school in Carterton.  Through the application process I spent a lot of time researching the school, some of which was done through the school website.  Here I noticed no evidence of social media being utilized by the school; there was no Facebook page or Twitter feed.  One class had a blog on the Blogger format, but there were very few posts.  

In the school that I was leaving I had spent the last three years trialing and implementing social media programmes; Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus.  With Facebook and Twitter there had been a lot of buy in from the wider school community; Twitter was used for class blogs and cell phone alerts for important and urgent information.  Facebook was used for day to day information and updates, more or less a what's happening page. Google Plus was used briefly for the same purpose as Facebook, but I eventually removed the page due to the fact that there was no buy in from parents.

I saw a real opportunity for introducing a change in mindset at my new school.  Previously the only communication between school and home was the newsletter and occasional parent / teacher interviews and discussions.  I felt that parents would be hungry for access to information about their children and the school in general, and that the more immediate the access, the better.  Social media provides an avenue for sharing the latest information, so I set up Twitter feeds and a Facebook page within the first week of my arrival.  I also set up an online Mandarin programme for the senior class on Google Plus.  Additionally, I completely revamped the school website using the Google Sites platform.

To date the use of Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus, for varying purposes, has led to widespread engagement with parents and students.  However, we are still at the learning phase, so there will need to be a focus on continually updating content and looking for more innovative ways of using the programmes.

A description of the ecology which identifies the relationships between your change and the wider ecosystem
Students at school have previously had limited access to social media.  Generally, the parent community is such that would adhere to 13+ restrictions set by Facebook and Google.  There is certainly a readiness for change with digital technology, which has been demonstrated by student use of Google Plus for an online Mandarin language programme.

Teachers have had little input into the Facebook page, and at this stage appear indifferent to it; they haven't yet liked the page, and don't interact through comments to posts.  They have supported using Twitter for their class blogs, with posts being done on a fairly regular basis.  Professional development has taken place through staff meetings, and implementation of learned skills is a part of the appraisal process.  

As the principal I have run professional development sessions in all staff meetings.  I have also modeled expectations through engaging with parents and students on Facebook and through the class Twitter feed for the new entrant class that I teach once a week.  I have also modeled the use of Google Plus through an online programme that I have planned and run in the senior class since the beginning of the term.  The board of trustees has used school funds (which are limited in a decile 6 U2 Catholic school) to purchase iPads for each teacher, doing so to ensure that teachers have access to a key resource for effectively using Twitter for class blogs. 

The parents have quickly embraced Facebook and the cell phone aspect of Twitter.  For a relatively small community the number of 'likes' on the Facebook page is high.  Feedback on the use of both Facebook and Twitter has been very positive.  A next step with be to run a parents evening on the wider uses of Twitter to engage with class pages.

At this stage there is no professional ICT learning community / organisation the the school is part of as part of a local cluster.  Additionally, I am not aware of any Ministry of Education guidelines around the use of social media in schools.

As the school principal, along with the board of trustees, we have been clear on working within commercial organisation guidelines around the use of social media programmes in regards to age restrictions.  Doing so significantly restricted how the Google Plus online Mandarin programme ran, but we saw this as a necessity in regards to modeling correct practice to students and parents.

8 comments:

  1. Hi Tim
    Wow, sounds like you're right in the midst of an 'arena of change'! I commend your commitment to modelling good practice. I'm interested that your teachers are reluctant to embrace the Facebook site. Why do you think that is? Are they from a generation of reluctant Facebook users (ie. like me)or do they see it as having to reveal something of their personal identity to students etc?

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    1. Hi Kevin

      I'm probably a little harsh with the teachers re Facebook. The key reason is probably that I haven't taken the time to share how I am using it, how to post, and passwords, etc. This will be part of our in-service day during the holidays. It will be interesting to see what happens from there.

      Cheers, and thanks for your feedback.

      Tim

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  2. I second Kevin's comment......good on you for getting in there and implementing positive change. It's great to hear how social media can be used effectively within a secondary school setting. I think your flexibility and willingness to just drop something if it's not working is also important. Like Kevin, I'm interested in why the teachers haven't taken to the Facebook page, especially as it's been so popular with parents and community. Looking forward to following how it goes. By the way, I'm in Upper Hutt this semester - would be keen to drive over the hill one day and touch base in person if you're interested in a bit of face to face contact?! :)

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    1. Hi Philippa

      Despite dropping Google Plus at my previous school, I can see huge benefits of using it, it's a fantastic resource once you get your head around it.

      Once I've taken the time to work with staff on the Facebook page it will be interesting to see if they embrace it's use. Hopefully they will! Their lack of input is more my fault than theirs.

      You're more than welcome to pop over the hill for a catch up. Contact me on 0275110003 or at work on 06-3797171. It would be nice to meet someone on the course in person!

      Cheers

      Tim

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    2. Sounds great! I'm heading down to Nelson this week so no good and I know you'll be flat tack once term starts out again, but let's try to arrange an afternoon coffee or something like that in the coming weeks :)

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  3. I will be following your use of facebook with interest. This is because despite the school I have most recently had contact with, has a hands off technology approach- the greater majority of the high school students have accounts and a proportion of these have their settings completely public (not a good thing given the content of their posts) and a few staff who have facebook pages have "liked" these students (again- not a good message professionally). I suspect the teachers who have become 'friends' with students don't actually use facebook, and certainly don't monitor what is being posted, judging by their own conduct standards (very high) within the school. The school is big on self respect and not dis-respecting staff yet there is an element of facebook usage which is unpalatable I am in the process of attempting to get the staff to see the folly of 'friending' a student without an understanding of all that the friendship entails. Times of change alright!

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    1. Hi Lesley

      I STRONGLY agree with your comments. I have always only let anyone 'like' the school pages that I have administered, as 'friending' gives the school too much access to information about other users that we really don't want to see on our page.

      I really closely monitor school pages that I run, as I don't want to see any comments to our posts on the site that I think are inappropriate. Users are pretty good and respectful; in the three or so years that I've administered school Facebook pages I've never had to delete a comment.

      Although I haven't seen a policy on this, I really don't think a staff member should ever 'friend' a student, especially at primary school level (when the kids shouldn't have a page anyway!). I feel it breaches the professional gap between teacher and student.

      Thanks for your feedback; I really appreciate it.

      Cheers

      Tim

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  4. Wow, seems like a very interesting research study yours is going to be, I havn't seen a school use facebook, twitter etc within the classroom. Only the school having an overall one to get messages to parents. Most of the schools I have been at have used blogs or school emails within google plus for the contact.
    I feel the need to become a 'follower' of your blog :)

    Jen

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