Promoting the use of social networking!

Can this really be the answer? Yes, Educational leaders must model the way for teachers and students. Educational leaders should be modeling the technologies for use in the classroom and modeling how to use the technologies in the classroom. There are technology tools, applications and websites that would enhance the student’s ability to be collaborative and creative.

To start educational leaders can model how to communicate over many different platforms via smart phone applications or through websites. Schrum & Levin (2015), state that “school leaders can use blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other social media tools to replace expensive newsletters and move toward paperless communication” (p.66). These platforms for communication can be utilized to share upcoming events for the school or school district. They can be used to inform students, parents and staff about school emergencies or changes in schedules. They can also be used to inform and remind students and parents of school rules and protocols. Faculty meetings could also be replaced by podcasts or a YouTube videos.

Students know a lot about social networking and participate in social networking sights outside of school. It would be powerful to flip the script and create a school social networking application, for administrators to use. Schrum & Levin (2015), state that “a Ning is an online platform for users to create their own social websites and social networks and was designed to compete with Facebook and MySpace” (p.133). This social networking site could easily have groups instead of classes or clubs. The teachers could keep in contact with students and run the class from a smart phone or tablet. The teacher would be connected to the students at all times and could assist students easily at the touch of a button from anywhere.

At my school we utilize Google Classroom, which is online and accessible from anywhere at any time. Google Classroom can be accessed from the Google website or even from an app on any smart phone or tablet. The difference is the Google Classroom has the ability for file sharing and posting and grading of assignments.  The limit of Google Classroom is that the administrators could not communicate with all of their students at once.

A social networking site that incorporated the Google Classroom abilities would be ideal for schools. It would have to be a closed social network only accessible by the students and staff of that school. This would open the door for modeling desired communications, while allowing administration to monitor and enforce the schools social networking rules. Plus it would give students a safe place to social network without the fear of stranger danger.

References:

Schrum, L. & Levin B.B. (2015). Leading 21^st Century Schools: Harnessing technology for

engagement and achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.