KSP667 - Week 3 Reflection - Social Media in a Crisis Situation

Week three furthered our investigation of Social Media use.  This time we focused on the more beneficial side of it.  Our guiding question was “how can it be used in a crisis”?  What we found was a crazy amount of benefits to having a pre-established social media network.  In an emergency, social media can be used to quickly and efficiently sent out information to parents and community members.  On the flip side it can also be used to issue an “all clear” if there was a dangerous situation.  

I have to admit that I hadn’t looked at social media this way before.  I think of the shooters in Paris last year and how the people at the club were sending out messages via Twitter and Instagram.  I remember thinking that it was sad but not really thinking of the impact this must have had on the people trapped in the line of a gunman.  They must have felt less alone and helpless because they were able to communicate using these tools.  

Being a classroom teacher we have monthly “lock down” drills.  I look at these through a changed lense now.  I realize that I could be the first to “call” for help using my Twitter or Instagram account.  I could let parents know my students were OK.  

I do realize that this “first info out” method could cause some widespread panic but one must believe that it would be helpful, especially when and if there is a social media crisis plan in place.  Which, I should note, there isn’t in my school.

KSP667 - Social Media Crisis Management Plan

We live in a world where it is relatively easy to get information out quickly. In a school situation having a Crisis Management plan that includes the use of Social Media is very beneficial. Working with my group, we developed a plan for using Social Media in crisis situations.  We have outlined what, where, and how information will be communicated.  This information is provided in a table linked below.

Here is the link to our Social Media Crisis Management Plan.

KSP619 - Data Analysis

Google Public Data Explorer offers a wide variety of data in a public repository.  Using this data I created a lesson plan that provides a step-by-step guide for students on using the site.  I have also provided two questions that encourage students to think about the data they have found.

This is the link to my Data Analysis Lesson Plan.

KSP667 - Week 2 Reflection - Social Media in an Educational Setting

This week we analyzed how social media can be used in an educational setting.  We came to the realization that there is quite a large need for it in the 21st-century school system.  I evaluated the social media policy in my own district and found it to be somewhat generic.  The biggest restriction on it was that teachers using social media needs to report their account information to the district technology office. I am still uncertain if this is simply to share with others or if it is used to track acceptable use.  

In any school setting, using social media allows for quick communication if a situation calls for it.  As a group we created our own Social Media policy.  We gathered information from several sources, including: Ball State University, ASCD, TeachHub, Best Buy, and the University of California - East Bay.  

Our policy protecting privacy, using it responsibly, maintaining responsible, and monitoring use by students. Another major point was to separate professional from personal accounts.  As a rule, educators should never befriend their students on social media platforms.  Teachers should also model proper social media behavior.  This modeling should include proper citation when using information from other sources, providing credit for content where credit is due, and not posting inappropriate content.

KSP667 - Social Media Policy

As a group, we examined and discussed Social Media policies.  We then whittled the data down and created a Social Media Policy that we feel would have an impact on any K-12 school.

Here is the link to our K-12 Social Media Policy.

KSP667 - Workplace Social Media Analysis

This week I outlined social media use in my workplace.  I teach at an elementary school so this use is not extensive.  The biggest concern is the safety of our students.

Here is the link to my Workplace Social Media Analysis.

KSP619 - Organizing Brainstorming

For this task, we were asked to create a comparison of several technology standards that are currently being used by educators.  I created a table where I mapped each of the standards from P21, ISTE - NETS-S, and (to some extent) the MN State Academic standards. Because of my linear nature, it was hard for me to truly map the MN standards because they cover so many content areas.



This is the link to my Organizer.

KSP667 - Week 1 Reflection - Multigenerational Comparison

This week we explored the differences between four generations that represented in our workforce.  We compared what inspires them, their core beliefs when it comes to work ethic, and their technology use. We found that the generation gap is real and quite present.  The youngest technology users embrace it as if it is yet another appendage on their hand.  

Unlike generations before them, they were born into this world and have no frame of reference for a life without it.  These students want and need technology in their classroom in order to be successful in the 21st-century job market.  And what’s more, they expect it to be there.  Teachers who are not integrating technology in their classroom will struggle to keep their students engaged.

One way to integrate technology into the classroom is through social media.  Applications like Google Classroom and Edmodo allow teachers to provide this experience in a closed and protected environment.  While applications like Twitter or Instagram may not be tools that teachers encourage their students to use in school, they are an excellent way for teachers to communicate with families and other educators.  

On our class’s Yammer page this week, we posted many great tools to be used by teachers. Schoology, blogs, and SnapChat were mentioned as additional tools to get students engaged, especially at the high school level. I enjoyed learning about which Social Media tools other teachers are using.  I have shied away from them in my own classroom because I feel my fifth-graders are still a bit young for them.

KSP667 - Generational Gap Graphic Organizer

There are four distinct generations at play in the world today.  Each brings something to the table that is uniquely their own.  In the linked infographic I have compared these four generations through the lenses of work ethic and technology skills.  I have also included some general information about things that have had an impact on their developing ideas and philosophies.

KSP619 - Personal Technology Philosophy

Jennifer Carlson

KSP-619

Professor Indi Williams

February 13, 2016

My Personal Technology Philosophy

I have an obligation to my students to prepare them for the future.  Since their future will likely be filled with more technology than I can imagine I must do my best to prepare them.  This requires me to approach technology in my classroom through two different lenses.  The first is that of an employer who required my employees to have strong technology skills and a fearless disposition when it came to problem-solving.  The second lens is that of a teacher who wants her students to leave her classroom with a thirst for knowledge and the understanding that technology is a great tool but it comes with great responsibility.

In my classroom technology is used in three different ways. The first is for basic computer skills lessons, the second is for product creation, and the third is learning and expansion of knowledge. My students are given explicit instruction in how to use their technology.  This instruction includes keyboarding shortcuts, hardware information, software installation, document creation and formatting, and a plethora of other skills that will make using a computer more natural and comfortable for them.  

The second way technology is used in my classroom is for the art of creation.  My students are given many opportunities to create.  They can choose the format for the projects - presentations, video, audio, in typed report format, or through programming and coding. Through projects, my students are learning the ins and outs of being solid digital citizens. They learn about copyright laws, safety, and what it means to contribute to the World Wide Web.  My students often contribute to collaborative projects with their classmates; technology makes this process easier. 

The third use of technology is to expand my student’s knowledge. They are able to do research and find resources at the touch of their fingers. In this day and age, it is no longer necessary for students to “know” as long as they are able to “find” what they need. Students use their computers to research and investigate new ideas and concepts they do not understand.

I believe that in an ever changing world my students need to be well-versed in using technology for a variety of purposes. In order to help my students, get where they need to be I too need to be well versed in technology.

KSP619 - Technology Beliefs

Are you confident in your abilities to use, implement and teach with technology?

Teaching is a second career for me.  My first career was in data management. My responsibilities as a Director of Operations included finding creative solutions for my clients.  Often this involved investigating technology tools to do the seemingly impossible tasks they needed me to do.  After years of solving problems using technology my comfort level is incredibly high.  I have been told that I have "badass" computer skills and applauded for my resourcefulness.  

Because of this fearlessness, my confidence is incredibly high.  Not only do I feel confident with using technology, I am confident teaching it and using it in my classroom.

Are there areas that you need improvement?

My tech skills are quite advanced and a bit beyond the average teacher.  This is completely due to my previous career.  The areas where I need to improve are in my expectations of my students. I have discovered that I have an expectation of my students that is unrealistic.  By this, I mean that I expect them to have a certain level of experience and skill that they lack.  I recently had a discussion with my students about not using an 18 pt font.  It turns out they use this because they can't see the smaller font when they are typing.  I asked they why they don't zoom the page in and they looked at me like I had two heads.  This concept was new to them!  I was shocked.  The problem is that I expect them to know all of these basic things but I am not sure why I expect this from them. I have met their teachers from previous grades and I am well aware of the lack of technological skills they possess!  

Have your previous experiences affected your current views in regard to technology integration. If so, how?

My previous experience has made me a bit gung-ho about integrating technology into my classroom.  I am frustrated by not having one-to-one devices and hate competing to use our computer carts.  

I have joined the district flexible learning cohort that is working on creating a self-paced, computer-based, standards-aligned math curriculum for next year. This cohort if definitely fueling my desire to see my students exposed to as much technology as possible.

What would you like to accomplish and why?

I would like to add as many tech tools to my tool box as I can!  One of my favorite things about my Intro to Technology class was the collection of resources I gathered along the way!