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Social Networking Tools for Schools
Presentation for the Johns Hopkins School of Education TechRetreat 4/7/09Hall DavidsonDirector, Discovery Educator Networkhall_davidson@discovery.com
Two social networking tools that have application for K-16
Might just be the end of: What did you do at school today!Replaced with: How did you feel about that butterfly dissection?Higher education students: “Tweets” might include “Did that lesson with rap lyrics work?” or “I couldn’t get a student to sit down and work today. Help!”
Twitter is not the only microblogging site. Note Edmodo’s mission.
Microblogging: Twitter accepts only 140 characters per entry, including spaces. This is identical to some text messaging plans.
Twitter is not the only microblogging site.
In a Web 2.0 world, there are always new entries along beaten paths. This microblogg seems to target students.
Determining which is best for what purpose—a worthy task!
A “tweet” (microblog entry on Twitter) from last night. It points out the power of social networking as an incentive to use a useful professional tool. Relationships, even micro-relationships, are not always about work. Ones that hook people regularly almost never are. People only have so much online time. Viewers seem to choose the social sites, which become more and more functional. The 140 character limitation leads to grammatical shortcuts.
Followers are other Twitter account holders who have chosen to read what you write. Since Twitter users tend to have Twitter open in a browser window on their desktop, followers give you a broad line of communication.
Imagine if all parents and community members could follow what went on at a school, class by class, hour by hour throughout the day. A powerful way to keep the community informed. Parents would be Followers of the school Twitter account.
Following gives you access to all the microblogs of other Twitter accounts. A school account might follow no one, or might choose to follow the Tweets of their legislators, municipal leaders or board members.
After establishing a school or college account, solicit Followers from the parent community (or other) from within your Twitter account. You can invite people to follow you if you have their email account. They will have to create a (free) Twitter account to follow you. And that’s what social networking is all about—and how it grows so quickly.
People who already have Twitter accounts can find your account by searching by name. So make the school name as obvious as possible. You can also find them with the Find People feature.
Remember, no one can follow you unless you allow it (next slide).
In the school Account, be sure that “Protect my updates” is checked. That way, no one can become a Follower without your permission.
Additionally, you will always be able to check on who is following the account from the main page where the link to Followers is prominently posted.
At any time, you check on who is following the account—and block them immediately with a mouse click.
The school account followers should be monitored regularly. Students may surreptitiously or accidentally open the account to new followers.
Set up account for K-12 communication
• Establish TUP and AUP for Twitter at school• Set up account with coordinator’s school email address• Set up password for sharing • Log in on several school computers—perhaps one per
classroom (Twitter allows simultaneous log-ins)• Select student reporters to log in at close of class or activity• Follow no one• Protect updates (check the box) so only those approved can
“follow”• Establish accounts for parents (workshop)• Parents will get running account of daily activities• Change password often
Other ideas at http://twitter4teachers.pbwiki.com/ thanks, Cindy Lane
Twitter alternatives
• Edmodo• Shoutem• Plurk• Others will come
Two social networking tools that have application for K-16
Facebook: In January, 2009, KOCE-TV and Discovery Education did something that had never been done before. It involves a side of Facebook you may not know about. More later.
Facebook has another side:
There is the user side, which aggregates data from users. This use we are familiar with.
There is also the advertising side, which pushes out data to the users based on user-selected criteria. This has implications for K-16 education
Before FETC, KOCE-TV (PBS station, California) had used the advertising side to send a message to a tightly targeted group in India, China, and the United States for a video challenge called FilmOnTheFly. The experiment was repeated in person at FETC with Discovery Education.
Ongoing projects from Discovery Education
Ongoing projects from KOCE-TV and education director Janet English
Janet English: janetlee.english@gmail.com
Facebook is a free social network. It originated at Harvard only for college students in the vicinity of Boston, the Ivy League, and Stanford. It expanded to all colleges, then high schools, and ultimately to anyone over 13.
A Facebook page offers a variety of information, activities, games, and general connectivity. From Facebook, a member can send email and many other kinds of missives. It has Twitter-like features and games. Its social attractions makes it a place many online logins begin.
At Facebook, members build a social network of “Friends” through references, invitations, or suggestions for friends that come from Facebooks own internal social network engine.
Facebook has another side:
There is the user side, which aggregates data from users. This use we are familiar with.
There is also the advertising side, which pushes out data to the users based on user-selected criteria. This has great implications for K-16 education
Film on the Fly FilmOnTheFly.org
• Cell phone with messaging (sms)• Video capability• YouTube account• Upload cell ability (multimedia – mms)• Have 30 free minutes to create• Desire to be part of the closing keynote• Must tag video with FETC FOTF (all caps)
Participants requirements
sms: short message service mms multimedia message service
Film on the Fly FilmOnTheFly.org
• Facebook account to create and push out ads• YouTube account• Credit card or other account for ads• A way to publish the results (we used the closing
keynote at the Florida Education Technology Conference [FETC])
• Establish tags to retrieve video (we used FETC FOTF)*
Coordinator requirements
*Although videos posted to YouTube within minutes, the tags may not be searchable for days.
FilmOnTheFly.org The project incorporated• Google Docs• YouTube• Wikipedia• E-mail program (Lotus Notes)• Cell phones
The concept of Film On The Fly:Film On The Fly sends out a simultaneous ‘writing prompt’ (media making prompt) to all participants. Participants must respond by making a media project which is submitted online. The original idea allowed for time to create and edit a video submission. For FETC, a conference with more than 8,000 participants, there was real-time, location-based challenge. Participants responded within a short time in whatever location they found themselves. The location was a key factor in the writing prompt.
FilmOnTheFly.org
For FilmOnTheFly information, contact Janet English: janetlee.english@gmail.com
A link from the FilmOnTheFly.org website directed participants to a Google Docs link.
FilmOnTheFly.org
Google Docs A spreadsheet was set up where participants could register. This is a form function within Google Docs.
FilmOnTheFly.orgGoogle Docs allow live, multiple interactive entries. The survey questions are displayed as a spreadsheet, making copying cell phone numbers a simpler process.
FilmOnTheFly.org
Wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Gateway
Wikipedia Using information from Wikipedia, the participants cell phone numbers were converted to email addresses that could be sent out from a single e-mail account instead of a cell phone. In this case, LotusNotes was used.
FilmOnTheFly.orgE-mailThe cell phone numbers, converted into email addresses, were used to send out the writing prompt to all participants at the same time. The email addresses were used as backups—necessary in some cases.
Finding participants to receive information or activity
For FilmOnTheFly, an advertisement was created within Facebook to reach target members of the very large Facebook community. The link is at the bottom on the Facebook member page.
Facebook allows the ‘advertiser’ to target groups with specific traits or tags from the information supplied by Facebook members. This may allow hits within a very narrow target group
The keywords connect only with “or”. Other boolean words like “and,” “not,” and “near” don’t operate at this time. So adding keywords will generally add to the people targeted
The keywords connect only with “or”. Other boolean words like “and,” “not,” and “near” don’t operate at this time. So adding keywords will generally add to the people targeted
Facebook allows the ‘advertiser’ to limit advertising spending. This is a great feature if operating within a budget. The limit can be set on a day-by-day basis.
Facebook charges only for members that “click” on the ad or notice for more information.
Facebook gives detailed reporting on results.
Second Life A different kind of social network where everyone must interact through an avatar (a computer-based construct of themselves). Members fly, fall, or walk into walls. They can communicate with voice or text..
Above image is from a real job fair in Second Life. College classes are also offered by some universities in Second Life. Ball State University in Indiana is an example.
Image from a store: Second Life is free. A free avatar with body, clothes, face and hair are supplied to every new member. But most members end up shopping for a new body, face, and clothing of their choice. Second Life has its own internal economy, based on the Linden Dollar ($L), which convert from US dollars. Conversion rate on 4/09 was 259:1 dollar.
Presentation from DEN members as part of a challenge. The avatars searched through Second Life---and found—”the last child left behind.”
Summary
Discovery Education Network members have built a presence in Second Life by building an elaborate virtual building on virtual land—which is not free. Educational presentations there are frequent.
However, the value of Second Life in the traditional (and broader) educational world is still being worked out by pioneers. The value of simulations like tsunami’s, a virtual ancient Rome, and scientific testing is clear. The management of the naturally open network of Second Life remains a challenge for K-12. And age limits apply.
Universities have gone further in exploring this network (e.g., Ball State)
Social Networking Tools for Schools
Presentation to Johns Hopkins School of Education TechRetreat 4/7/09Hall DavidsonDirector, Discovery Educator NetworkHall_davidson@discovery.com
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