Fear is not an option when it comes to social media in schools - Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator

Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator: Fear is not an option when it comes to social media in schools:

Fear is not an option when it comes to social media in schools

By Chris Casal + Lisa Nielsen

Cross posted at http://thecasalos.blogspot.com

Innovative educators know first hand that social media like Twitter, Facebook, Google, and Instagram can be a powerful tool for teaching, learning, leading, and strengthening the home-school connection. In many cases though, others may need to be brought on board. Especially when parents are expressing concerns and unsure of how a platform can be used successfully.

It is the job of innovative educators to ensure parents, colleagues, and administrators know how to embrace the power of social media and also how to address their concerns.  

Here are suggestions for parents, teachers, and administrators in schools embracing social media.  

Parents
As stated by Tom Whitby in a recent Edutopia article, "Today, educators are doing many things that are not in the education experiences of parents or teachers. We can't expect parents to understand these new dynamics of education if they aren't taught about them." Parents need to ask their child's teacher to help them become smarter about learning in the digital age. Here are some ideas on how to do that. 

• Your child's new teacher tweets but you’re not familiar with Twitter? No problem. Talk to their teacher. Ask how and why they use it. Then step back and get ready for amazing examples (like this: Twitter with Second Graders) of it's benefits.
• You may not be familiar with a particular platform or may have heard negative things about it, but remember a platform has no intent. It is all about how it is being used. Talk to your child's teacher. Like first grade teacher Erin Shoening, they are likely to have a wealth of examples of the positive impact.
• As our world becomes ever more connected using social media is a valuable part of the learning process. You don’t want your child to have to wait for a "better time to learn it." These are resources that can support students in developing a strong learning network today. Teachers like Linda Yollis, who are excited to support a child in communicating and collaborating positively on the global stage, are a powerful resource. Embrace it.
• Social media can be an essential tool in your child’s curriculum and required by the new Common Core Standards. My students do my tweeting is one such example. Social media is real-world resource that teachers are incorporating in powerful ways. With social media students are connecting with politicians, scientists, astronauts, and historians. If you are lucky enough to have a pioneering teacher who understands how to embrace these tools, your child will become prepared for success in the globally-connected world in which they live.
• Your child is living in a world where more than 90% of employers use social media for recruiting.  If students are not savvy users of social media, they can kill their chance of getting many jobs. In fact 1 in 3 employers said candidates weren't hired because of something they said online. This is why you want your child to have a teacher who can support students in using social media to shine.
• Your child's teacher is there to nurture, support, encourage, and protect your child when you are not. Part of that responsibility means guiding them in the digital landscape which is a part of our world. Teachers who are embracing digital media for learning are the most connected educators your children will have. They are ready to ensure your child can safely and responsibly succeed in the digital landscape that is necessary for academic, career, and social success.  

Teachers

More and more educators are becoming connected. Not only is this a good thing, it is supported by the United States Department of Education. In the aforementioned Edutopia article, Tom Whitby explains that teaching in new ways is scary for teachers, administrators, and parents because they, "were educated by teachers who employed 20th century pedagogy and methodology, which means that the 20th century is the basis of our educational experience. Since we are now almost Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator: Fear is not an option when it comes to social media in schools: