Take the Load off Benny...

An Article from Moving at the Speed of Light makes a case for digital curriculum, being...WEIGHT. Yes..weight! You can balance an entire load of cyber books on your finger tips. Flashback to my first day at University buying textbooks. The English 101 books were enough to put your back out. We have a whole generation of kids with one shoulder higher than the other. Perhaps corrective shoulder pads are in order..."Hey Working Girl, I'm talking to YOU." But seriously who wants our students carrying so many books that they end up like this baker.

Fact: If You Use TweetDeck Too Long Your Eyes Will Stick (Post 8: Twitter)

This is me after an intense month of twitter. Enough said.
 
Tweet, Tweet, Twiddle, Twiddle (Learning the Tool)
Captain's Log: February 27, 2010

What I know about Twitter?

ŸIt's about posting in 140 characters or less.
ŸAshton Kutcher likes it
Questions I Still Have About Twitter?
ŸWhat does it mean to follow? Is there a Pied piper?
ŸIs there a benefit to having a whole bunch of followers?
ŸIs it complicated?
ŸIs it time consuming?
ŸWhat benefits does it provide that outweigh not doing it all?
Twitter, where do I start? I have to admit. I gave this posting week the evil eye. "Oh no Twitter, I will not like you and the cute bird, doesn't fool me."


MasterMaq's Getting Started with Twitter

1. Pick a Good User Name (My name…Is that good? I was born with it, named after a barmaid, I was…I really was…)
2. Change Your Profile Pic (Check)
3. Keep Your Tweets Public (Check)
4. Enter your website URL (Check)
5. Set your location (Apparently Earth is too vague…)
6. Post a Few Updates (Felt like a fraud)
7. Resist the temptation to follow everyone. (Initially, I tried to follow journalists and athletes at the Olympics but the updates were not frequent, or interesting. Now I check out profiles before I follow.)
8. Tweets, Replies, Retweets, Hashtags, Twooshes, Direct Messages, Tweetups (I have achieved everything except a tweetup.)

Then I pulled a David Copperfield and disappeared.
Suddenly a kick came from cybersphere, professor said,
 "You better use that tool because I am watching."

I looked up from my computer, where was she hiding? I was overwhelmed with Twitter. How do you deal with the POWER of NOW?
I got a TweetDeck. I would open it and then look across the columns. Then shut it down. I had no idea, no kidding, that you had to leave it on. "Think McFly, think?"

By the grace of god, I left it on a few weeks ago and suddenly…I saw the tweets roll in.
But this alone, wasn't enough. Off to the library I went. I looked up every Twitter book I could find and reviewed the class trailfire. Armed with several books, including one that was called, "Go Tweet Yourself!",I made myself A Twitter Tool To Do List.

The first thing I did was create a short URL. I used isgd.com. But if you work within TweetDeck, URLs are shortened automatically when you post.
Then I created lists of my users. I grouped my classmates into one list under our course title and some others I grouped under media.

Then I went to listeria….no wait that is bacteria…. I went to Listorious and searched for lists of tweeters I might like.
Then I checked out the trends. This column is found on the left side of the Twitter homepage. You can change the settings to be a certain location.
This led to #yeg. Wait that's on my luggage! Are Hashtags a secret Mayan translation? No, but darn close, here are some secrets about hashtags. I clicked on Open City and there was a
live broadcast, in my own city, talking about stuff that kinda made sense. Fortunately I discovered that Foursquare did not refer to a show on Treehouse.



I was able to embed the broadcast on my blog, tweeted that I had embedded the broadcast and followed the live chat and discussion. It was fascinating! Clearly there was a relationship between the panel and some of the tweeters. The discussion was professional and very supportive, informative, no egos to be found. I noticed the professor was also on. The thing is, I just happened to be online and figure this all out. This was a spontaneous event. Is THIS how this works? A family outing pulled me away, but later a tweet friend asked why I stopped tweeting about the event…Yay someone cares!
After that encouraging adventure, I didn't sneer at my TweetDeck as much. In fact I left it on. Can you say distracting? Reminds me of Up
…SQUIRREL!!!!

And the noise…co-workers asked…"What is that?" "Oh that's my tweetdeck!" crickets…deer in headlights. I coughed and moved on.


I think it's called Twitter because it makes you nervous all the time. It's like trying to watch kids on a field trip…one eye on the task the other looking off to the corner. It is the child of Red Bull and a big cup of Joe.


So how was I going to learn more? I experimented with @ and retweeting. I felt like a fraud. But that was okay…
I had created a hashtag column sometime, don't recall when or how. But I decided to follow a hashtag #edchat. I clicked on it to discover the meaning behind it and lo and behold there was a weekly chat. Guess what? A chat was starting in 10 minutes. Okay buckle your tweetbelt!


So basically a question is posted. This week was "How do we get more great teacher/leaders in to the education field?" Then you are expected to respond, retweet, add etc. I watched the discussion, finding a place to jump in, kinda of like double dutch. Finally I mustered the courage and jumped right into the fray. It was like an instant messaging/party phone. Incredible, the amount of discussion was evolving right before my eyes. People retweeted me!


Here is the archived summary. Imagine all this discussion in an hour and I was only on for 20 minutes.
After the fact, I looked and discovered I had gained 5 followers in 20 minutes. Is that how this works? Pick me! Pick me! I also chose people to follow during the chat. I was finding like minds, some were local and others were as far away as Germany.
I got it! Cue the huge light bulb. Now I understood the power of Twitter first hand.

 
What Did I Learn?
ŸI learned that Twitter isn't something that you can check into once a day, unless you are a passive user or perhaps on life support.
ŸThe key to Twitter is to know your purpose.
If it is a general purpose then leave it on, check it etc.
If you have a question, post it and attach a #hashtag in order to track it. Sometimes people will directly message you the answer.

If you want a fast moving discussion join a tweet event, block off the time and follow a discussion. The experience of a discussion got rid of that Twitter feeling where you feel like you are alone. "Bueller…Bueller."

ŸI have learned not to judge a Twit by its cover. (Tweeters are people too.)
ŸI have learned that I can talk in 140 characters or less.
ŸLanguage separates Twitter from the rest of the tools. (Lots of terms to know, you need to look them up!)
ŸTwitter cannot be archived. (Unlike, Blogs that have threads you can follow.)
ŸTwitter can isolate you among your regular 'friends'. But I think developing a PLN means that just because your 'friend' jumps off the bridge, you don't have too… but you can tweet about it.


The Answer My Friend is Tweeting In the Wind, the Answer is Tweeting in the Wind (Personal and Social Uses)

In regards to Web 2.0, Clay Shirky states "[tools] don't get socially interesting until they get technically boring" Twitter is one such example. When you get beyond the bird, the tweeting, the funny marks, the 'following', the tiny urls and all the luggage plus carry on, the tool becomes an amazing social experience. If I had not been pushed, prodded and threatened I would have not tried Twitter. It just held no perceived relevance at the time. But when the tool became routine, I could enjoy the scenery. I could feel what was happening.

" What is Twitter for?"

As with any social network, the answer is the same: whatever you make of it?" It's hard to differentiate personal from the professional uses of Twitter. When logged in, the tweets can tap into all of your networks. It's quite interesting how that is. But when you think about it, with one platform to rule them all, all interests have to be in the same location, unlike blogs, wikis and facebook where you might set them up for different audiences. I suppose some friends might ask, "Are you talking to me? Are you talking to me?" This is where hashtags come in and let your followers know when you are talking to them.
Keys for Success
Ÿ Have an open mind. Following and retweeting on Twitter means being open to new ideas. Mack Male (2009) mentions in his eluminate session, don't get caught up in an 'echo chamber'. Basically staying too close to like minded people and not seeking out other perspectives. None of my friends are on Twitter so I have been pushed out of my comfort zone, but this has worked to my advantage. Burgess (2009) adds, "It is important for women to close the social capital gap by seeking and profiting from new relationships that serve as conduits of new information" (p.64).
ŸBe curious and willing to experiment. Initially I did not want to try hashtags or create messages. But twitters are very supportive and it feels safe to try things out.
ŸAsk questions and share your insights with others. I would like to pursue this area more in my personal interest of writing. I think my advance in this area has stalled because I was working in isolation and not in an established community again due to the fact that my friends are not writers.
ŸClearly define your Twitter goal, and make your Twitter-related decisions support your goal. Currently my goals are course related. After the course I plan to create a plan for making the most of my PLN as related to my personal goals. Like all things, I don't get to work on my personal goals very often.
ŸBe real and honest, and show your personality. This has been blessing. Breaking free of academic constraints my 'natural' voice comes out, pop culture references and all.
ŸEngage others in conversations around topics that are important to them. I don't consider myself political but I have enjoyed engaging in social issues related to education.
ŸReply to interesting tweets. This helps build your followers and creates discussion.
ŸRetweet helpful information and insights, giving other people the credit for their contributions. I have been thanked for retweeting and have been retweeted as well.
ŸConsider your community and share information that your community finds useful and helpful. I am trying to share useful info using #yeg. Mack Male (2009) suggests that following local people leads to timely information such as this:
RT @CityofEdmonton Trains Start to Test South LRT Extension Tracks http://bit.ly/9US0IU #yeg #yegtransit

ŸProvide accurate and complete profile information so people can learn about you. I am feeling more comfortable with this and I understand how this promotes professional networking.
ŸThe quality of your Twitter experience depends on whom you follow. If you don't like your experience, follow different people. So true and there are so many choices. Breeding (2009) adds."Effective use of Twitter involves shaping a body of profiles that you follow that result in a stream of information
you find interesting and useful" (p.30).


Personally, I have used twitter to tweet with my husband. He has been privy to my Web 2.0 journey and we have been discussing the possibilities of Twitter for social use such as:

1. Networking, finding a new job or other professional opportunities.
2. Following late breaking news. Edmonton's elusive peahen captured! http://edmjr.nl/cQfIKs #yeg
3. Entering contests
4. New Book announcements
5. Helping others, like my mom, establish her own PLN. This is would be a huge undertaking! Huge undertaking!

I Twittered Through the Grapevine (Educational Uses)

 
"…real communities are based on communication, participation and relationships and these kinds of communities take time to activate." (p.3). (Newcomb, 2010)
Twitter has the potential of connecting communities in real time.
Messner (2009) took advantage of twitter for her writing classroom. She facilitated an online discussion with author Sarah Lewis Holmes about revision. It was noted that this activity took 15 minutes. "That's generally how our classroom Twitter account works. It's a tool that we take advantage of when it fits our teaching and learning needs and when special opportunities arise" (p.45). Here is a plethora of Twitter feeds that support the writing process and links to YA authors on twitter. Pascopella & Richardson (2009) suggest that writing with Web 2.0 tools provides an evolving platform for writing, not just an endpoint or published piece.
This article found at changED suggests a handy tool to help facilitate student discussion. Students need modeling of communication techniques this is an important precursor to all Web 2.0 tools. In addition, Burgess (2009) suggests that, "Students can self-survey and participate in reflective activities designed for them to identify their own areas where they might need social and professional support" (p.67).


Twitter has the ability to bring together a large community. Here is a video, highlighting how Twitter can engage a class size of 90.



Why Else Should Teacher's Use Twitter?

1. Networking globally and locally. But for me mostly globally.
2. Professional development. I can't believe the discussion, powerful stuff! I spent two hours following #edchat on Saturday night. Thank goodness everyone lived back east and went to bed. I felt guilty leaving.
3. Finding answers to questions. Check and see what others think. Currently there are huge discussions on teacher leadership. It's interesting to see the perspectives of people across the country.

Twitter is sort of a reference library. Check in and see what's hot? What's the current trend? Depending on who you are following, is the information you get. Twitter search also provides a way to find out what everyone is talking about. Just type something into the search. You can set up a feed to follow this query which parlays well into research. You can also tweet these results to others. I have recently subscribed to the feed of #edchat. I can follow the discussion thread in Google Reader and it keeps me in the loop when I am not active on twitter.

 
Implications of Twitter in Education

 
There are risks, Pascopella & Richardson (2009) state "…as with any interaction online, there is always a chance for an inappropriate response or a connection with someone who may not be who he seems" (p.49). Pascopella & Richardson (2009) go on to state that teachers need to be prepared, able to plan for possibilities that may arise and setting clear internet policies at school with parents signing permission. As with all Web 2.0 tools, it seems that the benefits, outweigh the risks. Twitter is not an add on, but rather a necessary tool for out 21^st Century classrooms.
"In short, the most fascinating thing about Twitter is not what it's doing to us. It's what we're doing to it."


Ok. So this Twitter thing has grown on me.
Don't tell my mom.
I am not sure if good girls tweet.
But I guess you have to be a rebel sometime.

 
Until next time,
Lit Maven…Out!    
Remember…We're All in This Together- Ben Lee



Non Linked Resources
Breeding, M. (2009). Social networking strategies for professionals. Computers in Libraries, 29(9), 29-31. Retrieved from ERIC database.
Burgess, K. (2009). Social networking technologies as vehicles of support for women in learning communities. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, (122), 63-71. Retrieved from ERIC database.
Mach, M. (2009) Mack Male Eluminate Session http://bit.ly/6yrKm
Messner, K. (2009). Pleased to tweet you: Making a case for twitter in the classroom. School Library Journal, 55(12), 44-47. Retrieved from ERIC database.
Newcomb, M. (Ed.). (2010) Sam's teach yourself twitter in 10 minutes. Indianapolis, IN: Pearson Education Inc.
Pascopella, A., & Richardson, W. (2009). The new writing pedagogy. District Administration, 4544-56,. Retrieved from ERIC database.
.

How to You Manage Your PLN?

This Web 2.0 thing is here to stay. It should be making my life easier but I have had to adjustments to my "usual" life to fit it all in. At first I though it was because I was new. But after reading this article Redrawing by Chris Brogan, I realized it only gets worse. Managing these Web 2.0 tools are a job in itself. SO what do you do? Essentially some things have to change. Being accessible might need to change. At work we have a 24hr rule on the turn around of e-mails. I have decided this year, it does not mean the weekends. What a difference this had made! People can get use to new "cyber" office hours and learn to respect them.

"we must all process, reconsider, rethink, and redraw the way we do what we do. What got us here won’t always get us there." Chris Brogan

Are We in the Business of Sorting or Educating?

How do we group our students? In the article I Got Grouped, by Cris Tovani, she speaks of her foray into learning about technology. Often, especially in reading, we group students according to ability. How can we learn if we are surrounded by those all at the same level? She ends with this quote:

Being grouped refocused my attention on what matters most. I must make sure that my instructional practices match my beliefs about students' abilities. I must make available to students the tools, strategies, and experts that will enhance their learning. With scaffolded instruction, choice that drives engagement, and time to practice, our belief in our students' abilities can become their reality.-Cris Tovani

Can I Work with a Partner?

I remember that this question used to make teachers cringe. I think they thought,"Oh great, now I can't take this in for marks." Hopefully, learning is finally being viewed as a social activity. Imagine that!

"In a national survey that reveals K-12 students’ use of technology at home and at school, students overwhelmingly agreed that access to digital media tools and the ability to collaborate with peers both inside and outside of school can greatly enhance education"-Laura Devaney

So...

Could You Be Mine, Won’t You Be Mine, Please Add Me to Your Facebook -Post 7 Social Networking

Who didn't love Mr. Rogers? Those cardigans are all the rage now. Who would have thought he was a trendsetter?

Needless to say, Mr. Rogers was on the forefront of social media. He met up with many "experts" in the neighborhood providing 'blog-like' info. He video shared through a picture frame in his living room. The-neighborhood-of-make-believe were his Facebook friends, all providing status updates. Amazing how All You Really Needed to Know You Learned in Kindergarten.

Jesse's Got a Friend, You Know She's Been a Good Friend of Mine, But Lately Facebooks Changed, Getting Hard to Define…Jesse's Got Himself a Friend and I Want to Make Her Mine

Where I started?

In previous weeks where learning the tool was difficult, I pleasantly found social networks to be a mixture of the other Web 2.0 tools. Social networks are a platform for exchanging ideas that are fueled more through interaction, rather than say… podcasts, photo and video sharing. The latter tools are more products of celebration--- take it or leave it! Facebook and Ning do not move forward without an exchange of ideas and building contacts. These networks need constant watering, weeding and attention…did I say attention?

 

My journey into social networks started long ago. I have been a member of She Knows starting in 2002 and then on to a private discussion board in 2005. I found value in the supportive moms, discussing topics that were not shared with family or 'other' offline friends. As the years have gone on, I have learned a lot about American Health care and elections. I also discovered how much we are the same.

 

One afternoon, in 2006, a teacher said to me "Have you seen this Facebook thing?"

"Face-what?" Lit Maven said unjamming the photocopier.

"It's addictive" she said levitating above her desk and quietly floating out the window.

I can't remember who my first 'Facebook' friends were but I remember that initially I rarely used it. As more friends joined, the moms and I would share pictures. The learning curve on Facebook is not steep. I think that you do need to realize that posting on people's walls and updates are public. Perhaps that should be in bold for some people. There is a private mail feature. I don't use this as much as my regular e-mail. Instant chatting is fun, but I don't tend to communicate much this way.

Top 10 List of My Facebook Journey

1. My posts are created for entertaining purposes. I want my friends to have a laugh for the day. If my posts are not responded to, I try harder.
   
2. I will drop you if you add students as friends. (That's just weird!)
   
3. I will drop you if you never update. (cue Every Breath You Take.)
   
4. I will "hide you" if you obsessively update about Farmville
   or Mafia Wars. (Really…if that's how you want to spend your time…)
   
5. I am turned off by those who try to sell things on Facebook and then send out e-vites where you feel forced to respond. (It's called Facebook not Back-Friends-into-a-Corner-Book)
   
6. I have deactivated myself, but I couldn't stay that way for long. (The software gets upset when you deactivate, "Why are you leaving me?"…creepy)
   
7. To my chagrin, my immediate family members are not on Facebook. Life would be easier if they were. Perhaps a cyber Christmas…kidding….
   
8. Having all my friends, from various places, on one application must be the same experience as a wake – minus the unfortunate demise.
   
9. I wish there was a "dislike" button. Not to be mean but to dislike when people say stuff like, my baby doesn't sleep…yah I "dislike" that too.
   
10. Wonder what junior high would have been like with Facebook. Would people's perms and "mean" backcombs actually fit in those profile boxes?
    

What I learned?

Ning

This course has been a cyber eye-opener. Did you know there are many social networking sites? Along with NIng, Shelfari and LibraryThing
were also on the list. That's nice Lit Maven but tell us more about Ning. Well…Bradley (2008) states "What sets Ning apart from other social networking sites is that it is actually a platform for creating social networks and not necessarily a social network itself" (p.46). This is something new I have learned in this course. I had thought Ning was another Facebook. I didn't realize it was describing a tool that could be found under many different subjects in completely separate locations.

I signed up for NCTE (National Council for Teachers of English Ning) ,
Classroom Web 2.0. and Making Curriculum POP. NIngs have an immediate professional learning and educational appeal. I was surprised to discover so many features: discussion boards, user blogs, podcasts, videos, images and easy navigation through the use of subjects or tags. You can also set up a connection to tweet from your personalized Ning Page.

I must admit that it is still hard to comment on threads. This is the frustrating part: either the answer is already there or I can't think of one. I did join in on a few conversations. I joined groups but I feel guilty since I haven't said much. But even without reposting there is a wealth of information reading over posts. Classroom Web 2.0 has heavy traffic. I subscribed to the NutShell Mail that delivers new discussion board updates at specific delivery times that you set. Not sure that I enjoy the frequent updates. It's kind of stressful to realize how far you are behind and how much you need to catch up on.

NIngs have excellent professional development activities. Classroom 2.0 sends e-mail reminders for e-luminate sessions featuring high quality educational leaders. These can be accessed live or later prerecorded. I listened to e-luminate sessions with Clay Shirky and Daniel Pink. With both I was penciling furiously in my notebook, lots of nuggets of truth and intrigue. Clay Shirky stated, "The target of education is a set of individual minds." The functions of Nings are based on collective minds. Little wonder education is having trouble reconciling with social networks.

Nings vary in regards to topic, but also in regards to size and activity. The benefit of Classroom 2.0 is that it has a lot of activity and a large pool of resources. But you can get lost in the shuffle, so it's important to join groups within in a NIng or create your own. "Nings are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get."

Where I Am Now?

I will continue to navigate through my Nings and perhaps try to find a way to organize all my activity. I get overwhelmed with all of the groups, the e-mail member updates, discussion thread updates. How can I develop my PLN to be more user-friendly and less, bookmark, bookmark, bookmark and leave for dead on the side of the cyber road? I think I have just touched the surface in my NIng activity. How can develop my brand or presence online?

Lean on Me, When Your Not Strong and I'll Join Your Ning, I'll Help You Carry On (Personal and Social Implications)

As mentioned, I use Facebook and will continue to do so. I find that the connections are too valuable to cyber-sever. How can I use Facebook more? I don't know if I really want to go deeper with Facebook. There are many games, apps, quizzes. In fact you can poke people and send them gifts. One thing I am not sure of is using Facebook as a forum for expressing condolences. I am not sure if it's appropriate. Many Facebook pages are set up as remembrance sites and they tend to become inactive after awhile.

I don't see Facebook as a place for sharing professional information. It's much more like phoning friends, chatting over coffee. But on that note it is a place where awkward things occur. Never leave your page logged in an unattended. This has happened to friends of mine with embarrassing results. Also when you update your profile, remember it is public. I recently updated my 'married to..status', thirteen years after the fact. Well…that did NOT go unnoticed by my wedding party.

Five Uses for Facebook (personally and socially)

1. To update my daily status
   
2. To share pictures of the family
   
3. To keep in touch with relatives and old friends
   
4. To check out the friends on your other friend's list. (Some acquaintances' do not age gracefully makes you feel better about yourself for two minutes.)
   
5. To find out the "six degrees of separation" that exists between you and your friends. (I have added people who knew people that I didn't know they knew.)
   

My personal and social interests are reading and writing. Cue the snoring….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.. I know! I know! Shelfari is a great social networking site. Once you are signed up, you can find groups based on "those like you" (scary) groups that are active and/or groups by category. I chose category and discovered that there are many for writing. You do have to be selective. Anyone can make a group. The books are organized by a tagging feature. I found many 'next reads' that gave recommendations for books, like the book, I just read.

Uses for
Shelfari

1. To keep track of books already read
   
2. To keep track of "next read" books (Before I used to write them on scrap papers or loose leaf…and lose the leaf..I did!)
   
3. To read "real" reviews
   
4. To start a discussion thread
   
5. To navigate through the tags and learn more about current topics in literacy
   
6. To find books that might interest my children.
   
7. To join groups that fosters my love of writing.
   
8. Enables my purchasing through their direct links to Amazon. (Note: a dangerous feature)
   
9. To actually write reviews and recommendations.
   
10. Connect with others who share similar interests.
    
11. Show off your shelf and look really smart! (Note: cyber books collect no dust.)
    

I think that there is so much left to uncover…get it book, uncover…. The social networking sites are plentiful; try them out, see what fits your style.

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Facebook (Educational Implications)

Does Facebook have a place in the classroom?

This link provides many ways to use it. I don't think the question is how can you use it but rather does it serve a purpose in the classroom? There is no question that social networking is a requirement for our 21^st century learners. But is Facebook the place for teachers and students to interact? Mack Male (2009) said that while he doesn't expect teachers to use all these Web 2.0 tools in the classroom, teachers need to know how they work and what students use it for. Sometimes I think we are invading too many of their 'spaces'. Do we need to be their "friends" or their teachers? John Bowman (2009) in his article, Facebook In the Classroom, Bad Idea? , extended this discussion by bringing in other experts such as Tim Pychyl, an associate professor of psychology at Carleton University who stated, " Facebook is like taking a person with a gambling problem to Vegas. It's just too easy to get doing other things rather than the hard work of intellectual work." Then goes on to state that there is other software that serve the same purpose that aren't as distracting. In referring to the use of Facebook for librarians, Breeding (2009) states, "While Facebook continues to gain an ever wider and more diffused audience, I see quite a diminishment in the professional content exchanged in this medium" (p.29). I have to agree. Facebook is my 'guilty pleasure' tool. Even though there are many apps and ways to add professional conversation, I don't really want to go there.

 

Then there is the issue of teachers being friends with students on Facebook. We need to educate the whole child, but I don't think that means we hang out with them. Perhaps realizing that there are private spaces and public spaces and we don't have students hanging out in our staffrooms, probably for that reason. However, Richardson (2008) states, "these new realities demand that we prepare students to be educated, sophisticated owners of online spaces" (p.19). Bob SprankIe (2007) adds in his Classroom 2.0 web post, that social networks need to be introduced early when teachers can help them negotiate the process. Such as learning how to:

Ÿuse respectable language

Ÿhow to comment

Ÿdefining a friend, contact?

Ÿdealing with peer pressure (A recent story
highlighted the death of a student due to bullying on Facebook.)

 

Students often go between street language and school language. They need freedom to be themselves but at the same time need to realize that what is said is left in cyberspace forever. Pre-service teachers also need to make decisions about their continued participation on social networking sites. Kist (2008) mentions the rising fear factor of Web 2.0 tools and possible ramifications for their online 'social' behavior. Recently a middle school teacher was suspended over Facebook comments directed at her students. Perhaps this is an extreme example but this reminds us that teachers are teachers 24/7.

 

But like with all things, labels do not mean anything without planning and setting a purpose. Ganis (2009) states "the term 'social learning' should not be used to describe learning platforms which simply include social media capabilities "(p.7). Teachers need to remember that introducing networks is valuable but the process should be supported and linked to learning outcomes. Moorman (2009) made an interesting comment that teachers need to check the perceptions of their students in regards to writing on the internet. Many are most familiar with Facebook and view the internet as a social writing tool rather than an academic one. Perhaps we assume too much about our students' academic experiences with Web 2.0 tools.

As a language arts consultant, my role is to demonstrate for teachers how a Ning can benefit them professionally with colleagues and then at the classroom level. Our district has a portal with social networking potential, closed to the public. Unfortunately attempts to move forward with total utilization have been met with limitations on permissions ie. Who can post content? Who can read the content? There many people making decisions on access, format, and delegation of responsibilities. Several questions sprang forth, Why are we trying to create a space (Ning) that is already out there and being used by people on a global level? Must networks be closed to so few people? What is the goal of these spaces? Can they operate in a private network? Should they operate in a private network? Bradley (2009) interviewed Ning creator Gina Bianchini who stated, "In the time the company has had meetings, interviewed stakeholders, hired enterprise software companies to build them out this 'special thing,' they could have been up and running with a social network on NIng" (p.49).

 

Nings have many advantages for teachers and teacher leaders. Teachers truly are islands and thrive when discussing ideas with other teachers.

The opportunity to create access to experts in the field is a new way of professional development. As soon as I joined the Ning, I began listening to the prerecorded podcasts on e-luminate. There are benefits of being able to:

Ÿput a voice to the name of some of these great books (And not only that, but to hear updated information, even more recent than their published book.)

Ÿfeel involved, within a discussion (Asking questions through the chat thread or having access to the microphone.)

Ÿpull educators together in one cyber room (Many educators are from around the world, not just North America)

Ÿspread around the knowledge (As the conversation evolved the speaker would express new insights.)

Nings have a Facebook-ish component within them, in addition to discussion boards and multimedia such as podcasts. Nings are a ready to use platform and easy to navigate. However, Violino (2009) states that time is needed to maintain these networks. That is a huge issue in schools, finding the time to learn about these tools and use them regularly. Perhaps if I created my own Literacy NIng and referred teachers back to it, the process would grow slowly.

 

I will leave you with this last quote…

 

"Social learning thrives in a culture of service and wonder. It is inspired by leaders, enabled by technology and ignited by opportunities that have only recently unfolded."-
Marcia Conner and Steve LeBlanc

 

Social networking is here to stay. Thank you for being a friend. Lit Maven…OUT!

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NonLinked Resources

Bradley, B.L. (2008) Web heroes. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley Publishing Inc.

Breeding, M. (2009). Social networking strategies for professionals. Computers in Libraries, 29(9), 29-31. Retrieved from ERIC database.

Ganis, F. (2009). Social learning" buzz masks deeper dimensions: Mitigating the confusion surrounding "social learning. Online Submission, Retrieved from ERIC database.

Kist, W. (2008). "I gave up myspace for lent": New teachers and social networking sites. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(3), 245-247. Retrieved from ERIC database.

Mack, M. (2009) Mack Male Elluminate Session http://bit.ly/6yrKm

Moorman, H. (2009). Adventures in web 2.0: Introducing social networking into my teaching. Horace, 25(1), Retrieved from ERIC database.

Violino, B. (2009). The buzz on campus: Social networking takes hold. Community College Journal, 79(6), 28-30. Retrieved from ERIC database.

Richardson, W. (2008). Footprints in the digital age. Educational Leadership, 66(3), 16-19. Retrieved from ERIC database.

 

 

 

 

Video Writing Prompts

Looking for a way to motivate and engage your students with writing. I found this gem in my inbox today, check it out.