Social Networks in Schools?

Social networking is here so you might as well embrace it.  In a national survey conducted by AASL  (Jones, 2008) found fifty percent of the schools, use Internet in their school community was not surprising.  What was significant was that 41 percent of the schools use podcasts and twenty-nine percent use blogs.  The idea of students collaborating and taking a major rule in their learning can be attributed to how technology engages students in the learning process. 

Web 2.0 provides a wealth of free resources to school which helps tremendously in this environment of budget cuts, furloughs, and layoffs.  Fiehn (2008) discusses the need for OPAC systems to move to include the technology that is already available in Web 2.0.  Auto-Graphics, Fish4Info SirsiDynex’s Enterprise, Mandarin’s OPAC, and Follett’s Destiny are all integrating online searching with colorful graphic, text rating, video reviews and more.  Most counties in Metropolitan Atlanta use Follet’s Destiny.  Destiny Quest also provides media specialist to upload MARC records with ease. Fiehn questions if a library catalogs will ever be viewed as a social network, I think if students are taught how systems like Destiny Quest can be used for more than looking up availability of a book then maybe so.  The other side of this is do teachers want to spend time on teaching one more new thing.  Do they want to monitor their students’ use of these systems?  Do media specialists have the time to take on this task especially when most have lost their media clerks?  This is like most technology, when teachers and media specialist have ‘buy in’, they will use and encourage use of new technology.

As social networking grows and catches on problems arise with cyber bullying and Internet safety at the forefront.   The Child Online Protection Act (CIPA) requires all public school systems to provide Internet filtering.  Social network sites can presents problems for school systems due to the nature of blogs.  As problems arise there are people out there creating solutions.  GetNetWise shows how to change settings in sites to guard against potential problems.  Metz (2008) make it clear that it all begins with education and conducting meaningful dialogs between students and parents and students and teachers. 

One site not mentioned in any of the articles listed is CommonSense.org.  This site provides free digital literacy and citizenship curriculum for teachers to use with their students.  The also provide a complete education resources for parents to use with their children.  It begins as early as kindergarten and goes through twelfth grade.  Their curriculum includes a complete scope and sequence to teach Internet Safety, Privacy & Security, Relationship & Communication, Cyberbulling, Digital Footprint & Reputation, Self-image & Identity, Information Literacy and finally Creative Credit & Copyright.  The curriculum provides lesson plans, handouts, online videos, extension activities, and home activities. Parents are provided with resources to promote discussions in the same topics at home also including videos they can view with their children.

The use of social networking might be controversial but someone needs to teach students how to use and act responsibly. As they grow up in this ‘21^st Century’ we need provide them with the tools they need to be successful.  Technology will empower our children to be lifelong learners. 

 

Jones, M. (2008). AASL’s second longitudinal survey reveals schools’ acceptance of social networking tools. American Library Association. Retrieved March 8, 2013 from: http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2008/june2008/AASLsurvey.cfm) 

Metz, G. (2008). Secure Social Networking. School Library Journal. Retrieved March 8, 2013 from: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6574015.html?industryid=47060

Fiehn, B.  (2008).  "Social Networking and Your Library OPAC!" Retrieved March 9, 2013 from: http://www.mmischools.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=59618
http://www.commonsensemedia.org