http://todaysmeet.com/
Todaysmeet.com is a free online resource that allows you to connect with your audience in real time. Once you have created a room, and given your audience the link, users are encouraged to sign in and join in a conversation. Messages are instantly loaded in the conversation room and all connected users can communicate online.
Last week I attended a training day which was organised by my employer. While we were at the training day we were shown a number of Web 2.0 tools that can be used while teaching children in the middle years of schooling. We all took our laptops and had a day of 'playing' and discovering useful, free sites that are easily used and readily accessible.
The trainer demonstrated how Todaysmeet could be used. She asked us all to sign in to the Todaysmeet chat room that she had previously created. While she was speaking to us from the front of the room, everyone was connected and able to discuss the content of the lecture in an instant.
I have created a room that will be available for a month. Here is the link, I encourage you to clink on the link and add a message. I obviously won't be monitoring the room every minute of the day but I have created it to show you how it can be used.
http://www.todaysmeet.com/kerrie
I can see this as being a useful resource for students to be able to communicate with each other and their teacher while at home when completing group tasks or homework. It would also be a useful tool to demonstrate appropriate use of a social networking tool because it can be easily monitored and whenever anything is said, the author is always clearly visible. Not to mention the fact that the children will love it because their comments are available in an instant. Before embarking on using this tool, it would be essential to teach its appropriate use, but I see this as an opportunity to educate so why not use it!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Social Networking and Cyberbullying – The current status in my own school setting - and the way forward. Posted by Christine. (Graphs coming)
danah boyd’s excellent 2007 paper titled ‘Why Youth ♥ Social Network Sites: The Role of Networked Publics in Teenage Social Life’ demystifies many issues surrounding teenagers’ fascination with online social networking. Here in 2010 all forms of social media are increasing at an incredibly rapid rate. Gary Hayes, Director of Laboratory for Advanced Media Production at the Australian Film Television and Radio School amongst other roles, created a social media counter to demonstrate the exponential growth in usage of social, mobile, games and traditional media.
After reading Gary Hayes profile I felt he was worth adding to the other ICT experts and commentators I follow through Twitter. I was pleasantly surprised to discover two days later that after exchanging a couple of ‘tweets’ with Gary, he is now following me – a teacher librarian ‘at the coalface’.
With over 300,000 new members joining the existing 500 million Facebook members who upload a total of over 30 billion photographs yearly, it is clear that social networking is here to stay. What is also apparent is that teenagers are particularly drawn to social network sites where the online space can be used to ‘work out identity and status, make sense of cultural cues, and negotiate public life’ ( boyd, 2007, p. 2).
boyd’s research involved the social network ‘MySpace’, whose popularity peaked in Australia around 2006 and was overtaken by Facebook in number of members in April 2008. Whilst teenagers were originally attracted to MySpace through their interest in music, the site began attracting a larger following through ‘social voyeurism and the opportunity to craft a personal representation in an increasingly popular online community’ (boyd, 2007, p. 4). Teenagers were particularly keen to modify and personalise their profiles, which was possible using MySpace. I was aware of my own teenage daughters spending hours trawling around other profiles as they built and continually redesigned their own. It seemed everyone’s pages were distinctly individual, with great care going into projecting the desired image, or ‘impression’. I also saw first hand the drama created by the ‘top friends’ dilemma, where my daughters found continual conflict trying to keep all their ‘besties’ happy when the feature insisted you assigned a ranking to your friends, with those falling below top eight not showing on the profile page.
Whilst Facebook now has more members than MySpace, is it true to say that teenagers also prefer Facebook? How active are teenagers on Facebook, given that the Facebook profile page is impossible to alter or ‘pimp’. Users can add pages, groups, photos and videos but the main template is the same for all. The Facebook friends displayed are random, and change each time you log in. This saves the awkwardness of assigning favourites. Has this helped attract users to Facebook? Anecdotally, my students say it is a big plus.
To increase my awareness of the social networking preferences and habits of the students at my school I conducted a survey covering Year levels 5 – 12. From this data I hoped to learn more about which networks were being used, and the reasons that students chose not to participate. I also asked about the prevalence and perceptions of cyberbullying – particularly in relation to social networks.
The first graph of data shows MySpace vs. Facebook users. It is clear that Facebook is favoured by all Year levels, although the MySpace data has only been collated from 3 year levels so far. Data not displayed here shows that blogging becomes more popular as students are older, the most common sites mentioned being tumblr and Twitter. One site mentioned frequently by upper secondary students was ‘Formspring’. Explanations of its purpose and how it works seem unclear, but since several students commented that they had been bullied through Formspring I have signed up to learn more.
To sign up for Facebook and MySpace participants must be 13 – Year 8 at school in Queensland. Clearly, being underage is no barrier to participating. Having younger students active on sites designed for teenagers and adults brings a raft of extra concerns, such as cybersafety, protecting identity and ethical issues.
Another area that interested me was the reasons students gave for not joining social networks, regardless of these network’s popularity level amongst other students. Boyd describes non-participants as either disenfranchised teens or conscientious objectors. The former group consists of students who have no reliable access to the internet, or have been prevented from participating by their parents. The disenfranchised teens either respect or agree with their parent’s moral or safety concerns, feel they aren’t ‘cool’ enough to join in, or feel they are ‘too cool’ to take part (boyd, 2007, p3.). My surveys turned up interesting results.
The graph below show the different year levels and the % of students not involved in social networking.
The next graph shows the reasons for their lack of participation – bright red indicates disenfranchised teens and the other three columns denote those who are classified as conscientious objectors.
The vast majority of our students are 'conscientious objectors'ie they have access but choose not to participate for a variety of reasons.
The graphs show the most frequently cited reason is 'not interested' followed by 'not allowed'.
The ‘other’ reasons given from across year levels included (in order of frequency)
One of the best ‘Digital Citizenship Continuums’ I discovered was developed by the Living Sky School Division in Canada, and although not Australian based, it contains all of the relevant topics that need addressing. The continuum can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/2eh3qsq.
Below is a screenshot of the layout.
The content is organised under the headings of Responsible Use of Information, Safety, Communication, Education and Access. This document would make an excellent starting point at our school for developing a thorough policy that encompasses all aspects of operating effectively online and in social network environments. As an experiment I googled myself using Google Images, and although my name is fairly common, and others with my name promote their photography and marriage celebrant businesses, I found a photo of myself on page 5 – taken from my Twitter account! Not much shocks me any more, but this certainly did.
References
boyd, d. (2007) “Why Youth (Heart) Social Network Sites: The Role of Networked Publics
in Teenage Social Life.” MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Learning – Youth, Identity, and Digital Media Volume (ed. David Buckingham). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Kitchen, T. (2010, July 19). Why the net demands vigilance. The Age, p.16. Also available online at http://www.tinyurl.com.au/wv0
After reading Gary Hayes profile I felt he was worth adding to the other ICT experts and commentators I follow through Twitter. I was pleasantly surprised to discover two days later that after exchanging a couple of ‘tweets’ with Gary, he is now following me – a teacher librarian ‘at the coalface’.
With over 300,000 new members joining the existing 500 million Facebook members who upload a total of over 30 billion photographs yearly, it is clear that social networking is here to stay. What is also apparent is that teenagers are particularly drawn to social network sites where the online space can be used to ‘work out identity and status, make sense of cultural cues, and negotiate public life’ ( boyd, 2007, p. 2).
boyd’s research involved the social network ‘MySpace’, whose popularity peaked in Australia around 2006 and was overtaken by Facebook in number of members in April 2008. Whilst teenagers were originally attracted to MySpace through their interest in music, the site began attracting a larger following through ‘social voyeurism and the opportunity to craft a personal representation in an increasingly popular online community’ (boyd, 2007, p. 4). Teenagers were particularly keen to modify and personalise their profiles, which was possible using MySpace. I was aware of my own teenage daughters spending hours trawling around other profiles as they built and continually redesigned their own. It seemed everyone’s pages were distinctly individual, with great care going into projecting the desired image, or ‘impression’. I also saw first hand the drama created by the ‘top friends’ dilemma, where my daughters found continual conflict trying to keep all their ‘besties’ happy when the feature insisted you assigned a ranking to your friends, with those falling below top eight not showing on the profile page.
Whilst Facebook now has more members than MySpace, is it true to say that teenagers also prefer Facebook? How active are teenagers on Facebook, given that the Facebook profile page is impossible to alter or ‘pimp’. Users can add pages, groups, photos and videos but the main template is the same for all. The Facebook friends displayed are random, and change each time you log in. This saves the awkwardness of assigning favourites. Has this helped attract users to Facebook? Anecdotally, my students say it is a big plus.
To increase my awareness of the social networking preferences and habits of the students at my school I conducted a survey covering Year levels 5 – 12. From this data I hoped to learn more about which networks were being used, and the reasons that students chose not to participate. I also asked about the prevalence and perceptions of cyberbullying – particularly in relation to social networks.
The first graph of data shows MySpace vs. Facebook users. It is clear that Facebook is favoured by all Year levels, although the MySpace data has only been collated from 3 year levels so far. Data not displayed here shows that blogging becomes more popular as students are older, the most common sites mentioned being tumblr and Twitter. One site mentioned frequently by upper secondary students was ‘Formspring’. Explanations of its purpose and how it works seem unclear, but since several students commented that they had been bullied through Formspring I have signed up to learn more.
To sign up for Facebook and MySpace participants must be 13 – Year 8 at school in Queensland. Clearly, being underage is no barrier to participating. Having younger students active on sites designed for teenagers and adults brings a raft of extra concerns, such as cybersafety, protecting identity and ethical issues.
Another area that interested me was the reasons students gave for not joining social networks, regardless of these network’s popularity level amongst other students. Boyd describes non-participants as either disenfranchised teens or conscientious objectors. The former group consists of students who have no reliable access to the internet, or have been prevented from participating by their parents. The disenfranchised teens either respect or agree with their parent’s moral or safety concerns, feel they aren’t ‘cool’ enough to join in, or feel they are ‘too cool’ to take part (boyd, 2007, p3.). My surveys turned up interesting results.
The graph below show the different year levels and the % of students not involved in social networking.
The next graph shows the reasons for their lack of participation – bright red indicates disenfranchised teens and the other three columns denote those who are classified as conscientious objectors.
The vast majority of our students are 'conscientious objectors'ie they have access but choose not to participate for a variety of reasons.
The graphs show the most frequently cited reason is 'not interested' followed by 'not allowed'.
The ‘other’ reasons given from across year levels included (in order of frequency)
- Safety reasons
- Waste of time
- Too little time
- Can’t be bothered
- Too young
- ‘it’s for people who have no life’
The Head of Secondary has nothing but praise for students who are not active in social networking sites. He feels that the addictive nature of the sites, and the activities and games the students’ take part in steal valuable time from their studies. ‘…kids cannot be on Facebook and follow what’s happening elsewhere when they are trying to do homework and study. It’s almost impossible’ (Head of Secondary, 2010).
The growth and popularity of social networking amongst students means that it is crucial for students to develop behaviours and practices that ensure they are acting safely and ethically, and protecting their privacy online. Schools are beginning to recognise that relying on parents to model and teach cybersafety, digital literacy, and the legal aspects of online participation is unrealistic. The protocols and pitfalls of social networking are complex. For example ‘…many (young people) do not understand that personal information they exchange online is not private; it is stored, it is accessible to strangers and it will always be’ (Kitchen, 2010, p. 16). One of the best ‘Digital Citizenship Continuums’ I discovered was developed by the Living Sky School Division in Canada, and although not Australian based, it contains all of the relevant topics that need addressing. The continuum can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/2eh3qsq.
Below is a screenshot of the layout.
The content is organised under the headings of Responsible Use of Information, Safety, Communication, Education and Access. This document would make an excellent starting point at our school for developing a thorough policy that encompasses all aspects of operating effectively online and in social network environments. As an experiment I googled myself using Google Images, and although my name is fairly common, and others with my name promote their photography and marriage celebrant businesses, I found a photo of myself on page 5 – taken from my Twitter account! Not much shocks me any more, but this certainly did.
References
boyd, d. (2007) “Why Youth (Heart) Social Network Sites: The Role of Networked Publics
in Teenage Social Life.” MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Learning – Youth, Identity, and Digital Media Volume (ed. David Buckingham). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Kitchen, T. (2010, July 19). Why the net demands vigilance. The Age, p.16. Also available online at http://www.tinyurl.com.au/wv0
Monday, October 18, 2010
Am I a 20th Century Teacher or a 21st Century Teacher? - Posted by Kerrie
What type of teacher am I? Am I a 20th Century teacher or a teacher for the 21st Century. Unfortunately, at the moment, I would have to say that I am more aligned with the 20th Century teacher. I am a teacher of a Year 6 class in a Catholic School. To date, I have not effectively incorporated any of the Web 2.0 technologies into the classroom. This is not because I have not wanted to incorporate these technologies; it just seems that there are a lot of outside influences that seem to block full capabilities. For example, last term the children were asked to create a Visual Learning Tool about a particular topic. They were told that their learning tool had to have the purpose of teaching the viewer. I told them that I was going to try to get them on to Youtube and this created a great deal of interest. The students worked in groups to create a visual learning tool that incorporated pictures, text and music and I was really proud of what they achieved. Then our IT Technician got back to me and said we could not put them on Youtube because they were not old enough to post on the site. This was very disappointing for all involved.
Recently there have been a plethora of articles written about Web 2.0 technologies and whether they would be beneficial in educational settings. Many of these articles suggest that incorporation of Web 2.0 technologies could enhance learning opportunities for students if used effectively in learning environments. However, they also acknowledge that schools and other educational settings as a whole seem hesitant to embrace these technologies (edWeb et al 2010; Stuchbery 2010; Lockyer & Patterson, 2008; Jenkins et al 2006; National School Boards Association, 2007).
So what does all of this mean to me? I have to work as part of a team, I have to follow all of the rules and as Jenkins et al (2006) so eloquently put it I must ensure that every student:
“has access to the skills and experiences needed to become a full participant, can articulate their understanding of how media shapes perceptions, and has been socialised into the emerging ethical standards that should shape their practices as media makers and participants in online communities.”
Can I achieve all of these things? Of course I can. How can I achieve it that is the challenge! I have established three goals that I am going to work on so that students in my class can benefit from the incorporation of Web 2.0 technologies in my classroom.
· Keep up to date with current technologies.
· Incorporate at least one Web 2.0 technology in the classroom by the end of 2010.
· Promote Web 2.0 technologies that can be used in the classroom with other teachers.
Goal One – I will keep up to date with current technologies. I have already begun to work on this goal in earnest. When available I attend training days offered by my employer. Last week I attended a training day “ICLT for the Middle Years”. The day focused around technology that can be used effectively in the classroom and how it can be done. I was familiar with some of the content but I was also exposed to a lot of programs that I had never seen before.
I was blown away by the capabilities of some of these technologies and I hope to use some of them in my classroom. A full list of these technologies can be found in the resource section of this blog.
Attending these training days not only helps me in my professional development to remain up to date with available technology, it also gives me the opportunity to network with other teachers who want to embrace technology in their classroom.
Goal Two – Incorporate at least one Web 2.0 technology in the classroom before the end of 2010. Presently my class is completing a unit about inventions. One of their assessment tasks is to create a timeline showing the changes in an item such as a telephone, typewriter or bicycle. I will teach the children how to use the Timetoast application to create a timeline that can be published on the web.
Goal Three – Promotion of Web 2.0 technologies that can be used in the classroom. I will tell my fellow staff members about tools that I am using in the classroom and teach them how these applications can be used. I will also approach my Principal to find out if I can conduct staff training on technologies that I believe are beneficial for use in the classroom.
I have come to the realisation that there are so many opportunities out there for Web 2.0 technologies to be used in the classroom. Research suggests that educational setting should try to incorporate these technologies so that students can become effective participants in the 21st Century. I must begin to use these technologies and align myself with become a teacher for the 21st Century. The following Youtube clip promotes benefits and the need for incorporation of Web 2.0 technologies in the lives of 21st Century learners. Enjoy!
Reference List
edWeb.net, IESD Inc, MCH Inc, MMS Education (2010) School Principals and Social Networking in Education: Practices, Policies and Realities in 2010 – Final Report. http://www.edweb.net/fimages/op/PrincipalsandSocialNetworkingReport.pdf Accessed 08/10/10.
Jenkins, H, Clinton, K., Purushotma, R., Robison, A.J., Weigel, M. (2006) Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century. The John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Chigaco: Illinois.
Lockyer, L. & Patterson, J. (2008) Integrating Social Networking Technologies in Education: A Case Study of a Formal Learning Environment. Faculty of Education Paper. University of Woolongong. http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1074&context=edupapers Accessed 04/10/10.
National School Board Association (2007) Creating and Connecting: Research and Guidelines on Online Social – and Educational – Networking. http://www.nsba.org/site/docs/41400/41340.pdf Accessed 04/10/10.
Stuchbery, M (2010) Learning to Teach Social Media. http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/35652.html Accessed 08/10/10
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Be Careful What You Post - by Christine.
'Everyone Knows Your Name' Youtube Clip
When I first viewed this clip I was very impressed with the quality, the casting, and the way the ‘story’ unfolds. Set in an American high school and with other settings that appeal to teenagers such as the cinema, the actors do an excellent job of recreating realistic exchanges of dialogue and non-verbal communication. The girls are appealing to teenagers, and the men are particularly well cast. They represent the ‘Invisible audiences’ who may be viewing our profiles in networked publics (boyd, 2007).
As an adult I found the clip very powerful in delivering the message ‘be careful what you post’, but I was interested to find out students’ perception of the video. I screened it for one Year 8 class and three Year 9 classes and their responses were interesting. Firstly, the ‘what colour underwear today?’ question was lost on them. No-one could explain why the man asked Sarah this, the closest guess being that she must have posted photos of herself in her underwear. I explained the ‘game’ used last year to promote Breast Cancer Awareness. Women who used Facebook were asked to post what colour bra they were wearing as their status – the idea being that if ‘purple’ or ‘striped’ was your status, it made others not in the know, mainly men, wonder what you were talking about. This year’s Breast Cancer Awareness ‘game’ asks women to post where you like leaving your handbag as your status. A rash of ‘I like it on the kitchen bench’ or ‘I like it on the floor’ has other users jumping to certain conclusions.
Secondly, the students asked how all those people knew Sarah’s name. Here I was able to discuss Facebook’s privacy settings and how to adjust them. The lesson would have been much more powerful if I opened Facebook and demonstrated, although the risk here is exposing my profile which, although G rated and above board, may contain inappropriate posts by others in my news feed. Using ‘print screens’ in a powerpoint presentation would solve this problem.
Reference
boyd, d. (2007) “Why Youth (Heart) Social Network Sites: The Role of Networked Publics
in Teenage Social Life.” MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Learning – Youth, Identity, and Digital Media Volume (ed. David Buckingham). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Social Networking & Cyberbullying - The Facts, The Challenges, The Solutions - Posted By Christine
After reading the research recommended in Youth, Popular Culture and Texts, I became very interested in the level of social networking and cyberbullying at my school. Since the students have not been blogging, using wikis, forums or discussion boards at school, I was assuming very little student knowledge of ‘Netiquette’ and the pitfalls of participating in online social networks, chat rooms, msn and the like. My travels around Facebook regularly turn up students (and teachers) who have Facebook Profiles with no privacy settings applied at all. Viewing some of these pages gave me an insight into the lack of awareness these students display in terms of what they post and how they communicate with others.
As part of my research I arranged to interview the Head of Secondary and the Head of Primary and during these interviews it emerged that both had dealt with serious cyberbullying incidents during the past week. Several key questions emerged about digital citizenships and cybersafety that I felt needed further investigation.
« How prevalent is social networking amongst our students, and how does the involvement vary through the year levels?
« Which sites are students visiting and how frequently?
« Is Cyberbullying a concern for students, and what forms does it take?
« What is the incidence of cyberbullying, does it feature more in certain year levels and what technology is being used to bully?
Social Networking and Cyberbullying Survey link – click here to view survey questions.
http://tinyurl.com/25rl6ok (Click 'back' to return to blog.)
Collation of the surveys will take time, but some early data is shown below. Only data on Facebook is graphed so far, Myspace figures were low for all year levels, and Tumblr began featuring in upper year levels. Cyberbullying is perceived mainly as a growing problem across all year levels, with ‘huge problem’ being the second most frequent response. ‘No problem at all’ has negligible responses.
http://tinyurl.com/25rl6ok (Click 'back' to return to blog.)
Collation of the surveys will take time, but some early data is shown below. Only data on Facebook is graphed so far, Myspace figures were low for all year levels, and Tumblr began featuring in upper year levels. Cyberbullying is perceived mainly as a growing problem across all year levels, with ‘huge problem’ being the second most frequent response. ‘No problem at all’ has negligible responses.
My suggestion to locate, organise and store the best Cybersafety and Digital Citizenship resources available for our students, and to plan lessons incorporating safety, privacy, ethics, cyberbullying, the pitfalls of social networking, hoaxes etc was strongly supported by both ‘Heads’. I have direct access to Years 4 – 9 on a weekly basis and have built up a strong connection with these students. Earlier in the year an Educator who had previously been an undercover police detective working online in social networks to uncover people preying on school children. This was well received but, as the Head of Secondary admits, a one-off visit – not part of a dedicated consistent process to educate the students of online pitfalls and dangers.
‘… you have to do it more consistently……. they live in the here and now. They don’t think back, they don’t think forward. They live here and now, so, something that you did 6 months ago with them and showed the consequences of it - that means nothing to them. That’s exactly why road safety campaigns don’t work for young people. Because they live in the here and now – they don’t look forward, they don’t look back’ (Head of Secondary, 2010).
The most suitable online resources I located are found on the Cyberbuzz blog page titled ‘Cyberbullying Resources’. I have included resources on Cybersafety as well, and I am in a position to be able to use these resources immediately with Years 4 – 9 students. I will set up a blog or similar for staff to use with all the resources available. In my teacher librarian position I have been able to connect well with most staff. This places me in an ideal position to conduct training sessions on digital citizenship, cybersafety, ethical and legal issues surrounding online environments. As a frequent user of Facebook and Twitter, and as a recent blogger, I am well placed to run information sessions with parents where I can de-mystify Facebook and demonstrate and explain Twitter, Flickr, Youtube and other Web 2.0 sites. Being able to draw on experiences with my own daughters will assist my credibility when exploring real life examples and scenarios. The Heads of Primary and Secondary are very keen for me to commence these sessions.
During the research process I collected data on the privacy settings of a Year 7 and Year 8 class by conducting a search for them through my own Facebook page. This gives me a baseline measurement so I can gauge if the sessions I run result in a change in the level of privacy students assign to their social networking pages. At the conclusion of the sessions on Cybersafety, privacy and social networks I will re-visit these students’ sites to see if they have tightened up their settings due to their greater awareness of these issues. But, as the Head of Secondary warns,
‘Yes, but, again, they need to be shown how to do it and the importance of doing it. …. to them it seems like a waste of time because they can jump on Facebook and start doing what they want to do - not worried about the consequences, because that is a waste of their time. …..they don’t want to sit there and do their fields or go through links safeguarding their privacy. They don’t want to do all that’ (Head of Secondary, 2010).
This sentiment is backed up by reports that Facebook’s privacy settings are ‘a mess with more than 170 options buried in 50 categories wrapped up in a 6000 word policy’ (Keene, 2010, p. 18). Each time the site is redesigned, the profile reverts to the default settings allowing ‘everyone’ to see your information, photos and conversations. Impatient teenagers either ignore or remain unaware of the need to convert back to their custom privacy settings. The aim is to inform and educate students about the importance of using privacy settings appropriately, whilst emphasising the elements of persistence, searchability, replicability and invisible audiences that characterise ‘networked publics’ (boyd 2007, p.9).
The results of the research into the Privacy Settings of a Year 7 and Year 8 class both with 28 students enrolled is posted below. Whilst both classes had the same number of Facebook accounts differences are apparent in the slightly older children tending towards using photographs or images that didn’t identify them, and having their friends and information less visible than the Year 7s. In both year levels only a small number of students either had no personal photographs or had them hidden. It will be interesting to re-visit the pages in December, after sessions on ‘Digital Footprint’, ‘Be careful what you post’, and general social networking privacy awareness (see Cyberbullying Resources Page for examples of websites and clips that will be used).
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Face up to Risks of Social Networks - posted by Christine
Facing up to Risks of Social Networks (Courier Mail Oct 13, 2010)
Policing the use of the Internet by pre-teens is vital in today’s Virtual World (http://www.couriermail.com.au/)
By Dr Karen Brooks, Associate Professor of Media Studies at Southern Cross University.
http://tinyurl.com/29kbcf4 Link to online article.
Illustration by Johnathan Bentley for both print and online versions of the article.
Brook’s article begins with mention of Premier Anna Bligh insisting Facebook enforces its 13 year minimum age limit. Discussion follows and includes mention of Facebook's 500 million users worldwide, but her focus remains on her claim that Facebook is not user friendly for kids. Research I undertook at my school reveals 81% of Year 7 students, 60% of Year 6 students and 22% of Year 5 students have Facebook accounts that they visit at least weekly. Brook’s alarm about younger students being active on Facebook is a realistic concern given the percentages of primary students using Facebook at our school. Of the three serious cyberbullying incidents at our school over recent weeks, all used Facebook as their medium, and two of the cases involved Year 5 students.
Whilst acknowledging the benefits of Facebook and social networking in general, particularly for isolated users, Brook’s worries that Facebook has now eclipsed music as the No. 1 way in which young people define themselves. She feels that the addictive nature of Facebook is causing young people to replace face to face interaction with online communication. The Head of Secondary at our school would agree with her comments about the addictive nature of social networking. ‘Basically I think they are addicted to Facebook’ he replied when questioned about the late night and early morning hours students were posting to a profile that had been set up to alienate and insult a Year 11 student. He waved the printed pages in frustration adding ‘All these students, bar one, are constants in not having their homework done, and yet they can sit on their computer every night and do that. It’s incredible.’
Brook’s questions Premier Anna Bligh’s plea that it is the duty of the Facebook Company to police the age of its users. She poses the question of whether pre-teen social networking should be the responsibility of parents. Brook’s quotes experts in the field warning parents to monitor their children’s use, and stresses that parents need to exercise better control and set clear boundaries. Yet other commentators, including Tim Kitchen from Strathcona Girl’s Grammar School, disagree. ‘Schools owe students a duty of care to do more than simply cut off school-hours access to social networking’ (Kitchen 2010, p.16). The Heads of Secondary and Primary at my own school concur. They feel that the safety and ethical aspects of social networking need to be addressed at school. ‘…but you’ve got to have the right teachers doing it’ (Head of Secondary, 2010). I, too, agree schools have a valuable role to play, and the staff presenting sessions must be actively involved in and aware of all aspects of social networking.
One one aspect everyone agrees. Young people need to take more care and responsibility for their safety and privacy online. 1477 were surveyed by the Sydney Morning Herald in May 2010. Here is their response to the question: Should young people take more responsibility in safeguarding their privacy while on the
Adults survey almost unanimously answered yes, which made me consider students’ perceptions this question. I posed the question to all students in Year Levels 5 to 12. Below are the responses of 224 Year 7, 8 and 9 students. It is encouraging to see the majority answering yes, and only 5% answering no. The 20% who answered ‘I don’t know’ indicates to me that there is a need for more information and awareness of safety and privacy issues when using the internet.
References
Brooks, K. (2010, October 13). Face up to Risks of Social Networks. Courier Mail, pp. 20 – 21.
Kitchen, T. (2010, July 19). Why the net demands vigilance. The Age, p.16. Also available online at http://www.tinyurl.com.au/wv0
News article - "Learning to Teach Social Media" Posted by Kerrie
Click here to read the article "Learning to Teach Social Media"
The Drum Unleashed is a production by the Australian Broadcasting Commission. It is a forum that encourages people to contribute ideas based on current issues. I came across an article written by Mike Stuchberry who is a high school English and Civics teacher, he is also a regular contributor and occasional broadcaster with the ABC.
In his article titled “Learning to Teach Social Media”, Stuchberry tells the story of a series of lessons he did with a Year 8 Civics class. The children had to explore and research the electoral process and the students had to use Twitter, Facebook and Youtube to report their findings. The students were amazed that a teacher was giving them the opportunity to incorporate something that is up to date and relevant in their lives into their learning. The students responded favourably to the task and were “alert, focused and loving what they were doing”.
Stuchberry goes on to express his thoughts on the Digital Revolution and the impact that it can have on teaching students. He acknowledges that presently we are excited about the fact that we are giving children many opportunities to work with computers and some technologies that are associated with these devices but what good is the access to these devices if schools continue to block technologies such as social networking.
I agree with Stuchberry, Web 2.0 technologies are here to stay. As educators, we need to embrace these technologies and demonstrate how they can be used effectively in the teaching and learning process. The media is quick to jump on the negative impact that social networking sites can have on young people of today but are not as quick to jump on the bandwagon of demonstrating how they can be used effectively to enhance learning opportunities.
The comments that followed Stuchberry’s article were interesting, there was certainly an element of doubt in some of the comments that people wrote:
“There’s a flourishing youth subculture online that ripples around forums, chats and Voip programs and does everything it can to stay away the commercial nonsense that is Facebook and Twitter. Why force it on them in the classroom?”
While others applaud the concept:
“If only we could have this kind of forward-thinking attitude across the teaching industry.”
I totally agree with this reader, as educators, our job is to encourage children to be active investigators and encourage enthusiasm and a thirst for learning in an environment that is stimulating and meaningful. Well done Mike Stuchberry, you are doing your job effectively!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Do Social Networking Sites have a Place in Educational Settings? Posted by Kerrie
“Exploring the Educational Potential of Social Networking Sites: The Fine Line between Exploiting Opportunities and Unwelcome Imposition” Henk Huijser
Introduction
The explosion of Web 2.0 technologies has introduced the world to Social Networking. Many 21st Century Learners have embraced the technology of Social Networking and it has become part of their everyday lives. In research undertaken by the National School Boards Association of America, it was determined that social networking is such an embedded part of the lives of Generation Y that time spent on social networking sites rivals time spent watching television (Huijser, 2008; National School Boards Association, 2007). What does this research mean when educating 21st Century Learners? When researching the impact that Social Networking has on educational settings, I came across a journal article titled “Exploring the Educational Potential of Social Networking Sites: The Fine Line between Exploiting Opportunities and Unwelcome Imposition”, this paper argues:
“Web 2.0 technologies, and Social Network Sites in particular, offer exciting opportunities but that educational implications of these technologies should be based on sound pedagogical principles and driven by empirical research and careful evaluation, if they are to effect meaningful learning experiences for all students” (Huijser, 2008, p.45)
This blog entry will unravel the points discussed within this journal article which highlights the potential of Social Network Sites and other Web 2.0 technologies in educational settings and concerns educators have in using these technologies effectively in a productive teaching and learning environment.
The Hype Surrounding New Technologies
It goes without saying that whenever new technologies emerge, there is always hype. Young people want the new technology and the older generation fight it. This is currently the case with Web 2.0 technologies that have emerged over the last few years. Many members of Generation Y have embraced the technology that has been made available to them and many engage in established Social Networking Sites such as Facebook and My Space. These Social Network Sites enable the user to have constant contact with peers no matter where they are located, build and construct identities and become involved in on-line communities.
Huijser suggests that educators should investigate the educational opportunities that have arisen as a result of Web 2.0 technologies and determine how these facilities could be used effectively in a learning environment. He is in no way suggesting that educators should look at Social Network Sites and incorporate them in their learning framework just because Generation Y likes to use the technology. Rather, he acknowledges that the technology available is such that, when used effectively with careful consideration and caution could provide meaningful learning experiences that would potentially enhance the skills of students in their quest to become lifelong learners.
Social Implications
As their name suggests, Social Networking Sites are very social in nature. It enables users to share information with others instantly as soon as they post it. As soon as information is posted on Social Network Sites other users are able to appraise your work, offering insights and thoughts. Huijser proposes that collective intelligence and user participation are two main concepts that can be used effectively in a learning environment. Collective intelligence enables the user to collaborate with other users to solve problems, complete tasks and broaden their knowledge base by communicating with like minded people. The participatory culture of Social Network Sites enables users to contribute their own ideas and critique other’s (Jenkins et al, 2006).
The structure of the on-line environment and Social Networking Sites is such that it forces the user to create and contribute in a way that encourages others to become involved in what they have posted. When students have completed work for teachers or lecturers in the past, the work they have done has only been seen by the student and the teacher. If Web 2.0 technologies are used within educational settings and work is posted on-line for all to see, students become more concerned about what others think about the work they have posted.
Collaborative Learning
Collaborative Learning is not a new concept when it comes to educational settings. Students need to work collaboratively with their peers to achieve a particular outcome. Once a student completes their education, these skills are developed further and used in the workforce. The art of collaboration is a lifelong skill that is encourage in educational settings and developed over a lifetime. Huijser acknowledges that the use of Social Networking Sites in educational settings would enable students to become connected to a much wider community enabling them to become active partners in construction of knowledge. This is supported by Lockyer and Patterson (2008) who set up a specific Social Networking Site for use by students who were not on campus. They discovered that students used the site to share and compare experiences, collaborate with others and construct knowledge.
The Age of Information
It is said that we are currently in an era called The Age of Information. Information is readily available to students through their use of the internet; however, this can cause concerns because the information posted may not necessarily be true or based on authentic research and evidence. Huijser uses Wikipedia as an example; Wikipedia is a research tool that many students use to gain information. The format of Wikipedia is such that users can post information without necessarily proving that it is authentic. Many schools have banned students from using Wikipedia because the content may not always be accurate. Huijser concedes that this is an issue that is relevant, however, he rightly claims that it is up to educators to “take control of and responsibility for teaching students to be dynamic and critical thinkers within their own authentic online spaces” (p.47).
Educators v Students
Heijser realistically argues that “educators often see new technologies as threatening their scholarly authority” (p.49). Many teachers are set in their ways and feel that use of Web 2.0 technologies in the classroom is too difficult and would not be worthwhile when teaching students. However, Heijser suggests that using Web 2.0 technologies in the learning context would create opportunities for teachers and students to become co-creators of knowledge rather than teachers simply being disseminators of information. Due to the fact that learners in the 21st Century are able to access a plethora of information, teachers have no choice but to shift their thinking when determining what constitutes effective pedagogy.
Conclusion
Heijser’s article highlighted the way that students of Generation Y access information and use Web 2.0 technologies. Generation Y have embraced these new technologies and many use them on a daily basis to connect, create and participate in a culture that is at times foreign to many educators. Heijser suggests that Social Networking Sites can be used effectively in all learning environments; however, it should not be used just because it is a tool that 21st Century Learners use in their daily lives. Instead, use of Social Networking Sites should be characterised by co-construction of knowledge, collaboration and reflection. Heijser concludes, when incorporating Web 2.0 technologies, it is up to educators “to exploit their educational opportunities, to avoid unwelcome imposition, and hence to create meaningful learning experiences for Generations A through to Z” (p. 52).
Reference List
Huijser, H. (2008). Exploring the Educational Potential of Social Networking Sites: The Fine Line between Exploiting Opportunities and Unwelcome Imposition. Studies in Learning, Evaluation, Innovation and Development. September 5 (3): 45 – 54.
Jenkins, H, Clinton, K., Purushotma, R., Robison, A.J., Weigel, M. (2006) Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century. The John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Chigaco: Illinois.
Lockyer, L. & Patterson, J. (2008) Integrating Social Networking Technologies in Education: A Case Study of a Formal Learning Environment. Faculty of Education Paper. University of Woolongong.
http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1074&context=edupapers Accessed 04/10/10.
National School Board Association (2007) Creating and Connecting: Research and Guidelines on Online Social – and Educational – Networking.
http://www.nsba.org/site/docs/41400/41340.pdfAccessed 04/10/10.
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