Week30 Mindlab Blogpost Using Social Online networks in teaching and/ or professional development

A PRELUDE:

Social online networks were non existent (or as far as I and my COP at my 'then' workplace ) when I started my teaching career. The key word here of course is 'online'. For social networks did exist, very much so. in the staffroom, in the corridors, in clusters of classes that planned and taught together.
It also existed amongst teachers who 'knew' each other, personally, through family, friends etc.

And teachers are possibly one of the most blamed ( by their partners and offsprings ) for 'talking shop' outside of work hours. It is in our DNA. Put two or more teachers together in any social setting, and inevitably discussions will begin about triumphs and challenges in the classroom.

Courtesy: http://melanielinktaylor.mzteachuh.org/2014/11/teaching-is-teachers-talking-to-each.html

So, when opportunities of 'online' social networking,began to present  I was quick on the uptake.
What caused or facilitated that? Two primary factors come to mind:
1. My interest and familiarity with technology ( I have never been a technophobe)
2. The teacher DNA of 'shop talk' or to put it in professional terminology, my need to communicate with other teachers about the learning and my learners. This time, with a much wider audience, unrestricted by geographical locations or time zones.

HOW MUCH SOCIAL MEDIA DO I USE?!
To quantify or reflect on that, I first need to clarify( possibly to myself ) what qualifies as 'social media' and what does not! A Google search revealed an e book that states

Source: http://www.icrossing.com/uk/sites/default/files_uk/insight_pdf_files/What%20is%20Social%20Media_iCrossing_ebook.pdf

If I take all of these parameters into consideration, then I am and have been a part of quite a handful of social networking sites , like -Facebook, 3 different Google + communities , Edutopia, Twitter, Pinterest, moocs like Khan Academy and Udemy and of course You tube and Blogger to name a few-linked to my own growth as a teacher, which by default has affected my learners.

Facebook has been an interesting one for me because I have chosen to keep my personal and professional identities completely disparate on that platform. As a professional, I am a part of several education related 'groups' that use FB as a platform. Most of these groups are 'closed' groups which at least superficially, seems to make them more effective and worthy of joining! But I have grown and continue to grow in my capacity as a teacher from them.

However, I cannot say for sure if the 'content' knowledge I have gained from the various FB groups could not have been gained from a book on the same topic. The true value of social networking lies in not only 'sharing ideas across multiple communities' but also by ' reflecting on one'w own practice in one's own context' ( Rock and McCollum, 2009 )

Have I been openly reflective about my own practice on social media? I have been keen to share my triumphs and 'aha' moments which has fetched encouraging responses from fellow teachers. But have I expressed my doubts or uncertainties on a platform that is public and accessible to anyone forever? Not as easily as I have shared such concerns face to face. This tells me that I am probably an avid 'consumer' of knowledge, resources and tips and tricks of the trade and most definitely a prolific sharer of the same online. But, I am not very reflective about the nitty, gritty of my own practice on a social networking site. in fact, the Mindlab Google+ group would be the first site where my 'guards' have been down a lot.

WHAT ABOUT SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES AND MY LEARNERS

Having a class Blog has been common place for my primary school students every year. A very effective platform for showcasing learning and teaching them online etiquette and basic privacy and plagiarism norms. Having a platform that showcases there learning achievements and that is accessible by friends and family anywhere in the world has definitely been a motivating factor for students. Reluctant writers have found a reason to want to write, confident writers have exercised their skills of editing by proof reading blog submissions. I could go on and on about how effective blogging has been. But I must also admit that this year, BYOD and GAFE in my class provided me with the opportunity to start individual blogs with my learners, but I did not for mainly time constraint issues. Cyber safety and privacy issues for my Year 3 and 4 students would need stringent managing for all 25 blogs and it just seemed a logistical nightmare. GAFE is used avidly in my class and my learners have created little groups of their own which I could call 'intra networking' as it stays confined within my class and buddy class community. I often share relevant Twitter updates with them but having a classroom twitter account would be a next step I would want to take after seeing the potential of twitter in Kathy Cassidy's video Using social media in the classroom

IN CONCLUSION

Social networking is here to stay and its presence is becoming increasingly all pervasive. Thoughts its effects in primary education is hardly yet documented, small beginnings have already been beneficial. Just like with any other resource, it comes with its own set of challenges but the advantages, in my opinion, far outweigh the drawbacks.

References:    icrossing ebook 

                     using social media in the classroom    

                     Connected Educators video link       

                     Rock and McCollum, 2009