Week 30 - Using Social Online Networks in Teaching or Professional Development

CISC 8100 APPLIED PRACTICE IN CONTEXT

Assessment 2

DUE ON THE 21 NOVEMBER 2017 – Extension Approved

Identify and critically evaluate the context of your practice.

Week 30 - Using Social Online Networks in Teaching or Professional Development

 

Although social media is a part of our everyday life and has been for some time. The most common options being simple texting or messaging, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest and are available on most smart phones and other electronic devices.  These work in real time and instantly allow us access, feedback and interaction with others within all mediums from photos, quotes, messaging and any other way desired by the user.

 

The ease of access and the fact that the access is available to absolutely everyone no matter who and what they are has been the cause for major concern.  In particular the concern was related to personal privacy and in some cases professional boundaries and where children are concerned a potential misuse of photographs or information.

 

However, the professional use of social media in the classroom is beginning to gain acceptance as there are perceived positives such as improved student engagement, easy access, and the ability to link a wide variety of content and expertise on a global scale.  To assist New Zealand education practitioners the Education Council has developed some advice and guidance on the ethical use of social media via their website - teachersandsocialmedia.co.nz which they have identified under four domains:

·       Learners - need to develop and maintain professional relationships with learners based on their best interests.

·       Parents/Guardians and Family/Whānau - using social media to collaborate and communicate with whānau.

·       Society - the need to model good social media use to learners

·       The Profession - Professionally using social media to share, seek and respond to knowledge and discuss concerns. 

Because I am a principal of a primary school our students are not legally permitted to utilise memberships on social media.  As a result we have chosen to generate our own collaborative platform by becoming a Google school and therefore able to interact online with everyone else at our school.  This provides an effective platform for socialising and collaborating amongst ourselves and allow us to monitor and provide a safety net for our students.  The overall aim being that as a result our students develop appropriate digital citizenship practices.

Although we have a school Facebook page I am mindful of what and how I make posts.  If we are going to share photos of events it is our normal practice to make closed groups for those participating in an event and then only that group of parents and students receive the information and / or photos.  I never engage with any parent or whanau member past or present with regard to any school matter whatsoever on any social media app or even via email.  If anything controversial is being communicated I always formalise matters of this nature with a formal letter as opposed to simple emails or texts.

References

Teachers & Social Media. (2017). Teachers & Social Media. Retrieved 18 November 2017, from 

      http://teachersandsocialmedia.co.nz/