The Will Richardson Project: From MySpace to SchoolSpace

For my professional development goals as an instructional specialist and future school administrator, I am reading a few articles by Will Richardson and posting my thoughts here. Feel free to join the conversation in the comments. From MySpace to SchoolSpace: teaching kids the social networking skills they need. District Administration - September 1, 2007

Summary: Seattle Public Schools have been using their own network to help students and teachers utilize the many benefits of social networking within a safe, controlled environment. Besides teaching students responsible and safe networking skills, the tool has allowed teachers to consider different pedagogies that are more student-centered and inquiry-based.

What I Think: I am a huge advocate for allowing social networks in schools. Sure, some will point to the risks, but that's just a bigger reason for why they should be addressed in schools. The best way to protect students from harm is to facilitate that learning. Why not provide a safe space for them to explore the virtues of social networking?

How does this help me with my work? The Seattle project is a great example of how a school district has adopted social networks to work for their purpose of educating their students. I can point to this example as a success story. Schools wouldn't have to create their own networks. They could utilize MySpace, Facebook, or Twitter as well as create their own networks on Moodle or Ning.

L3rn

The Will Richardson Project: Building Networks in Schools

For my professional development goals as an instructional specialist and future school administrator, I am reading a few articles by Will Richardson and posting my thoughts here. Feel free to join the conversation in the comments. Building networks in schools: creating your own social network is easier than you might think. District Administration - December 1, 2007

Summary: Today's student is all over social networking. Sites like MySpace and Facebook occupy our students' every moment outside of school. Now, with the highly adaptable Ning, educators can utilize social networking within the classroom (virtual or real) to teach them not only how to collaborate but also how to properly manage their social networks. Additionally, Ning could be utilized for professional development purposes.


What I Think: Ning has been around for a while, but I don't think it's properly caught on. Teachers seem to be turning to various versions of Moodle and related hosting sites. Regardless, a Ning is so highly adaptable that a teacher can disguise learning, collaboration, and interaction as social-networking. I belong to Nings for both my work in edtech and for my craft beer/homebrewing hobby. A friend has used a Ning for her college composition course. I don't know if the problem is interest or an over-saturation of social-networking. Either way, I'll be interested to see how things develop over at Ning.com.


How does this help me with my work? It's nice to realize that there is something out there that resembles a Moodle less and a Facebook more. I've had plans to start a Ning for teachers in my network, but they seem so bogged down with so many other networks. A good alternative is to simply utilize the Nings that already exist out there for eMINTS and to encourage their use whenever a teacher is looking for a new way to engage students.

Mystery

Anonymity and privacy does not really exist on the Internet these days. Some of us still act like it does, but there are no mysteries on the World Wide Web anymore. And there is no better lesson we can teach students than to be mindful of this online transparency. Of course, teachers and educational professionals need to be aware of this in their own online activities as well.

It was recently reported that a local television station in Kansas City looked up the names of area teachers, mostly in their 20's, on popular social networking sites MySpace and Facebook. What they found were pictures of drunken debauchery and sexual content unbecoming of people who work with children. The teacher's naively thought that no one would discover their secret online personae. Boy, were they mistaken.

I am not immune from making poor choices on what to post on my various blogs. There will be no details shared for those voyeurs out there. Just understand that I made a mistake by posting information that I thought was harmless and undetectable when a simple Google search could have really compromised people I work with and for. Luckily, no major harm was done and I have a chance to learn from my mistakes and make things right.

The point is that educators need to be as careful online as we wish our students to be. I know of other teachers who blog or maintain social networking profiles that should keep these things in mind. The best way to teach young people is to be an example for them to follow.

I know that I'll be more careful in my own blogging. This blog once had a different focus (and URL) that was negative and not very constructive. Sure, I posted some good things on there, but there was a lot of negativity that wasn't helpful in any way.

So, as I make my first post on this new/old blog, I am considering how to make it as useful as possible. My goal is to post on an educational issue I encounter once a week. This could have to do with methodology, pedagogy, edtech, or administration, all areas in which I have great interest.

Whatever I post, I will strive to mindful of my audience and/or potential audience. I understand that as easy as it is for me to set up this blog, it is just as easy for anyone to read it and react. I want those reactions to be positive. I have to be aware that the mystery of the Internet and blogosphere are no more.