MEDT 7447 BLOG 3
Social
Networking and school library media centers
posted
by: Angie Wood
Social
networking sites are used by educators, the work force, law enforcement, and
businesses alike. Law enforcement agencies are using social networking
sites to catch and prosecute criminals. School systems are using Facebook
for collaboration and a learning tool because students are already familiar
with the platform it is built on and the knowledge to use it. In one
classroom, Facebook was used to gather pictures from student’s personal
Facebook pages and then cut and paste the photos into a power point
presentation. There is also video and URL plus other texts presented in
this platform that students use because of the easy and familiar ways to
download, upload, and share information. In a college setting it can
allow students to ask questions to an instructor that they might not ask in
person. This is one 2.0 web tool that can allow shyer students to voice
their questions and thoughts to the class. Although it could open up more
student to student and teacher to student communications teachers in k - 12
setting are strongly discouraged to be friend fellow students via Facebook.
Web CT, Blackboard, or interfaces like Course Den are web tools that
college campuses use where students are more likely to post their educated
comments. The AASL reports that social networking tools/technology is
becoming more and more vital in a student education. These web tools help
with group collaboration and discussions are becoming more evident in the
learning process. Schools are accepting it as part of the 21st century
learners there is a place for social networking when used in the
right way. Many schools do filter out the social networking sites due to
language and photos that could be present in them. The middle school
that I work at allows Facebook to filter into their school. This was a
huge help as my class built an "All about me" power point during the
first couple of weeks of school the students could go in to their Facebook and
save photos for their project. This was a very helpful tool. I can
see it also as a big drama queen playing field. It can be distracting
because students have their cell phones and can ready post at any time or reply
to post at any time. This is where the user agreement policy would have
to go into effect for a school and its district. This policy would also state
that the teacher has the right to decide if the students will be using their
devices and what for. The policy would state that if the student does
not use the device properly and in accordance with the teachers and school
rules then the device would be taken up and the student would not get it back
till the end of the year.
On Destiny there is Destiny Quest and this allows students to use
it similar to the way someone uses Facebook. Here again just like with
web pages the school system would need the media center specialist to monitor
this type of social networking because drama would show up in a heartbeat and
students would be getting their feelings hurt, fighting, or just messing up
while using Facebook. With Destiny Quest it is the first social
networking site tied to a OPAC interface system. In Destiny the media specialist and or
teachers can post book titles and start blogs about these books. The students
can also post reviews of books as Destiny promotes safe social networking. It
is k-12 user friendly for students and teachers alike. In an article from EditLib,
author Michelle Ritger states nine reasons to use Destiny Quest and get your
students logged into it. I have listed them below which helps explain the use
of the social networking in the library. Here is the link:
9. Users can see what they have checked out and when items are due back to the library.
8.
Users can renew their own books; I have it set to one renewal per item.
7.
Users can create their own virtual shelves and keep track of What I Am Reading,
What I Have Read, and What I Want To Read (especially handy for those users who
read voraciously, like me.
6.
Users can put books on hold that they want to read but are checked out to
someone else.
5. Users
can notify me of items to purchase for the library that we don’t already own.
4.
Users can rate the books they’ve read and write book reviews which other users
can see.
3.
Users can create a network of “friends” within the system which allows them to
recommend books to each other and have online discussions about books with
their “friends.”
2.
Because logging in to Destiny Quest uses the power of social media to create a
personal experience around the library collection, students are excited about
books and love using the library.
1.
Students are excited about books and love using the library.
I
think Destiny Quest is a great tool to get your students involved in. It is not currently used at the middle school
I work at but I have seen it in action in an elementary school and it works
great! Take the first step and get the
students set up and the teachers trained and start social media explosion in
your school.
References
Cheasty- Ritger, M. (2011). Using
Destiny Quest to Teach Social Networking. In M. Koehler & P. Mishra (Eds.), Proceedings
of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International
Conference 2011 (p. 3843). Chesapeake, VA:
Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).
I love your information about Destiny Quest. Our school has it, but I don't know anything about it, and had no idea it was a social networking site. How cool! When I hear the words social networking/media, my first thought is of course Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. However, I have learned through the various articles and posts that it is much more than that. I had no idea it had any connection with our OPAC either. The idea of students being able to review books they've read is exciting and can be very engaging for students. Our school has a firewall blocking all social media sites. There is also a block on YouTube, unless you are logged on the computer as a teacher. Since I teach elementary, I think it pretty smart. Students at this age do not know enough about being cautious, and probably do not need to have free-reign on such sites. However, as the teacher, there are valuable resources out there that I would love to be able to share with my students. We have recently gotten hooked on Kahoot and Socrative. My students love it, and I have been able to access some of the public quizzes shared by others, and share a couple of my own. This is a great example of using social networking in the classroom. I am the one actually using it, but it benefits my students, and still allows engagement and interaction to take place. As the students get older and more mature, I think some of the restrictions could be lifted. The only way for students to learn to be trustworthy with technology is by allowing them to use it. As scary as it may be, it's reality. So, we may as well teach them to be responsible and gradually...turn them loose. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like Destiny Quest is everything I need rolled up into one package. My district is one of the leading districts to try and implement the latest technology. However, some of our teachers are reluctant to try new things. At present, I have several social media sites I manage for my school but there are no parents or students that visit our Facebook, or Twitter pages. I am a new media specialist this year and am trying to stay afloat with all of the demanding task I must attend to. My plan is to have our instructional technology teacher to assist me in rolling out the google apps for teachers and students next year so that we can start fresh. In addition to that I would like to increase our entire schools usage of staying abreast by using our social media sites. I think I will give a pizza party or ice cream party to the class that does the most hits in the course of a month, to stimulate usage. In turn, the parents will be used to visiting the sites and it will become habit forming.
DeleteOur district has Destiny Quest and it hasn't been advertised in our school that it is a social networking tool. This would be great for teachers! In our high school the students have several books they have to read over the summer and during the school year. This would be a great tool for teachers to get the students engaging with each other and they could grade their posts and responses, just like this assignment. This could really cut down on the papers that are turned in to teachers and bring things to the 21st century. We also have a Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl team that could use this to help each other get ready for their competition, or even as a book club. There are so many uses. I am so excited about this tool!
ReplyDeleteI do think that there will be a learning curve for teachers to move to this type of format. This will be a great opportunity to do some professional development and invite teachers to embrace today's technology. Of course there will have to be chocolate to entice them to come.
I really like the idea of using DestinyQuest as an introduction to social networking. Of course, students will have some fun and want to chit chat but the foundation of the tool is education so there are less ways to be distracted and the users are more protected than other apps or websites. Using DestinyQuest and Edmodo as well combines the social aspect along with assignments, discussions and further reflection that cannot occur with simple Word documents or emailing
ReplyDeleteSchooltube.com was another site that be a possibility for students to upload Powtoon videos. Although the site is public it can linked to a school or classroom account. Schools might choose to block Youtube but might allow for Schooltube (it is endorsed by the AASL) to be accessed from school. As we go forward, each of us will have to work with our individual school policies regarding websites and social media. It is important that we are aware of the tools available and how they can be valuable for student learning and becoming "media" literate.
Education accepting the 21st century learners has become a very interesting topic for me. This is something that I feel is inevitable therefore educators and school districts need to become more familiar and comfortable with this type of integration. I work in one of the smallest elementary schools in my district and continually struggle to get my veteran teachers onboard with the fast changing pace of technology/social media and implementing it in their classrooms. I like how you gave examples of social media uses in elementary, middle, and high schools. I’m also humored by the fact that if some of my teachers read this blog they wouldn’t have a clue about some of these social networking interfaces currently being used. I agree that these tools can and are a vital in student education. My only fear is the logistical side of using these outlets. It is so hard to keep up with monitoring and blocking inappropriate things the students could have access to through social media at school. The firewall at my school blocks all social media and we do not allow any devices from home to be brought in. I would like to see this changed but fear the drama (as you say :)) that could come with it. Great job on your blog!
ReplyDeleteAngie, Destiny Quest sounds like a great tool for the media center. I wish all OPAC systems had such an offering. The school I currently volunteer at just switched from Destiny to RenWeb and as far as I know there isn't anything similar to Destiny Quest offered by RenWeb. I will say that Frederica (my school) has a very limited filter, allowing students access to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and YouTube with very few restrictions. On the same hand, it is a small (less than 450 students total), PK-12 institution and everybody knows everybody - literally. Unlike larger schools, the drama, while started easily enough, doesn't have a chance to truly flourish, because of the size of the school and the familiarity between students and faculty. Now I am by no means saying our students are perfect; they tend to start drama through texts and phone calls if anything. I think regardless of what we as educators do, there will always be drama. After all, drama existed long before cellphones (insert generic "Grease" movie reference here!), and will exist long after we have all retired and moved on from the educational realm.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I had no idea that this new infrastructure was taking place. Social media is very important these days and should definitely be incorporated in a school setting because it is so widely used. I think linking libraries and social media is fantastic. It not only gives students a broader scope on the level of resources available to them but it also provides a sense of convenience that's very attractive to the 21st century student. As an educator, we have to acknowledge and follow the current paradigm and incorporate it in new learning opportunities. Very informative post :-)
ReplyDeleteWhile I am very much an advocate for technology and social networking for student learning I find myself on the fence about the "social" aspect. Are students focusing and getting the most from lessons, or are they distracted by all the other features. For example when using Google Classroom students use the chat feature to chat and not discuss the topic at hand. While I realize this is a management issue, students need to be immersed in social responsibility. By this I mean while at school (and should be at home as well) if they are not using technology and resources properly they should be prepared to face the consequences. Students should be required to sign a user agree and the rules outlined in this agreement need to be reiterated frequently. In teaching middle school (6th grade) I have seen students pushing the limits of social responsibility because they think they are invisible behind the screen. I believe that as technology is integrated at earlier grades and correct use is enforced as well as consequences that we should see a decline in the misuse of social technology rather than an increase.
ReplyDelete