communicating with parents and students through social media and technology beth gasser, vivid...
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Communicating with Parents and StudentsThrough Social Media and Technology
Beth Gasser, Vivid Image, Hutchinson
Social Media BasicsWhat you need to know
• Social Media is social. No matter how private, it has a public aspect. • Snapchat: servers and screenshots
• Social Media refers to public, online data, engagement, conversations, feedback, complaints, sharing, oversharing.
• Social Media is here to stay. Tools will come and go.• Nothing can ever be deleted.• Footprints
• You give up certain things in exchange for other things.• Security, data mining, data sales• Google personalized search
• Nothing is ever truly anonymous.• Yik Yak, Whisper, After School, Rumr
• Geographical areas make a difference in SM usage• Behaviors • Lurking, Liking, Commenting, Sharing/Posting; there’s a difference!• A very dark place indeed.
Where Are They & What Are They Doing?Social Media Facts
• 94% of teens are online daily• 24% of teens are almost constantly online• 2% or less of teens are online less than weekly• 75-88% of teens have smart phones or access to
one• 75% of teens 13 to 17 years old use Facebook;
Facebook still reigns #1 in social media platforms (but it’s falling)
• 50% of teens use Instagram• 50% of teens use Snapchat• 71% of teens use more than one social media
platform• 90% of teens with phones text; a typical teen
sends and receives 30 texts per day.• Source: Pewinternet.org
Where Are They & What Are They Doing?Social Media Facts
• Data reveals a distinct pattern in social media use by socio-economic status. Middle to upper income teens lean toward Instagram and Snapchat; lower toward Facebook
• Teenage girls use visually-orientated social media platforms for sharing more than boys
• 90% of social media-using teens who have witnessed online cruelty say they have ignored mean behavior on social media
• 81% of youth agree that bullying online is easier to get away with than in person
• 80% of youth think it’s easier to hide online bullying from parents than in-person bullying
• Source: Pewinternet.org
LET’S GET ON THE SAME PAGE
Better Communication Using Technology?Better Communication Using Social Media?
CommunicationTwo-Way, Back and Forth; In-Private or Public
Social MediaTwo-Way, Back and Forth; In Public and Documented
What are you visualizing?Using Social Media for one-way communication?
Technology• There are lots of ways to improve one way
communication using technology without social media• Web• Blog• Email• Text• Portals
• Best communication practices apply to technology and/or social media• Consistency• Don’t try to be everywhere
Before You Start Using Social MediaFrequent Challenges
• Social Media Policy• Do you have one?• Is it current?• Is it too rigid?• Do you know the laws and liabilities?
• Have a plan; a Social Media Plan• This isn’t the same as a policy. This covers how
you will handle negative comments, difficult situations, who will post and have admin rights.• Has your photo permission slip been updated to
include social media?• Never be the only one with access to accounts
Before You Start Using Social MediaFrequent Challenges
• Firewalls & Access• Can you get on during your work day? • Social Media roles have changed more than one person’s
job description!• It’s never about you RULE• If you want to use social media you have to go where
your audience is.• This isn’t probably where a school/counselor wants to go
or can go.• If you want to bring parents and students to you, it can
work, but it isn’t social media.• You don’t own it. It can change. It can delete.
• Wi-Fi vs Data• Prevention attempts creates obstacles for the adults &
enticing challenges for kids that will end in them accessing.
Social Platform OverviewYou Asked About: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google
Kids Would Tell You to Learn: SnapChat, Instagram, Periscope
Let’s talk about:• Facebook• Twitter• LinkedIn• Google• Snapchat• Instagram• Periscope
• Fan Pages vs Groups• What is it?• Are you on?• Google vs
Google+• How it works• Its appeal• Anyone heard of
yet?
Best TipsConnecting with Parents and Students
• Be Consistent• Don’t try to be everywhere• Know how to use it yourself and be comfortable• Learn text language, acronyms, and keep up with
trends• “y”, “LOL” examples• You have access to a plethora of current data; ask
a student, bounce ideas, let them teach you• Ask student/parent preferences when possible. If
you already do, check your form. Do you have all options listed or subjective answers spot?
Best TipsConnecting with Parents and Students
• Don’t be too wordy • Don’t assume once and done.• Anything that is a frequently asked question or
reoccurring issue is a great place to start conversations.• Facebook Groups for parents and/or students
are probably a better fit for counselors than a page; function very differently• More intimate, more private, more visible to those in
the group• Page vs Group: 10% rule
Best TipsConnecting with Parents and Students
• Teach students email; It’s archaic to them• Counselors working with students with career
planning, college applications, scholarship applications, and/or senior portfolios need to help them with LinkedIn; colleges, scholarships, and employers are checking here first. This fact isn’t new, but LinkedIn is new to high schoolers.
