A few years ago social networking sites would have no place is education but today my mind is opening up to the possibilities and experiences these sites could bring to students, parents, and teachers. These sites can be the portal to connect reluctant parents and hesitant students to caring and devoted teachers and school staff. Children and parents do not find school intimidating because it is, they find it intimidating because of the stigma behind school. Parents and students need to see teachers and faculty as partners in education that are here to support and educate. Social networking sites may be the key for parents and students to see educators as “regular” people that they can communicate with on their level. Many parents do not come to the school but are willing to communicate via telephone or email on a regular basis.
Social networking can be used to showcase and entire school (probably hard to maintain) or an area (media center, art, music, physical education, or other special areas).If a networking sight was going to be used for an entire school, at least one person per team/area would have to be in charge of maintaining, revising, editing, and updating. For subject areas the sights could showcase big projects/units, events happing, important information that parents/students need to know, homework help guides, reading lists, vocab to know, and background information necessary for success. For the special areas they can showcase grade level units, club times/dates, chorus/band shows, what students can do at home that will help them in school, and facts/tidbits that there isn’t time to share during the usual learning day.
A media centers webpage could house hours of operation, staff biographies, a link to the OPAC, suggested summer reading lists, award winning books, and events (spelling bee, reading bowl, book fair, morning reading club, etc). A feature that might encourage student participation is a showcase of the month where students can rate or review the book on “display.” Parents will be encourage here to come to volunteer or check our books for their children. A page can be devoted to open source software and educational web sites.
Social networking sites like facebook and myspace are on the staff blacklist and will not pull up. unexpectedly, I could access and sign in to blogger sites including blogspot.com.