Using social online networks in teaching or professional development

Week 29: Using social online networks in teaching or professional development

My social media use in my classroom is very limited. I only use Seesaw, an online learning journal.

And, my Seesaw use could be termed as very basic with my use of Seesaw limited to sending parents snippets (video clips, photos) of what their children have been doing in the day.

If I had been asked, previous to this week, about my reasons for my limited classroom use of social media I would have said it is because I'm a New Entrant/Year 1 teacher and my young children do not have the capabilities to use social media as a learning tool. However, after reading some of the blog posts regarding this topic and from the TED ED video 'Using Social Media in the Classroom' by Karen Cassidy, I have decided I need to re-evaluate my thinking around using social media for learning in my classroom.

Karen Cassidy's use of social media in her class of six and seven year olds is inspiring. The point she made about today's children having grown up with the internet and with access to digital tools at home and therefore the necessity for digital tools to be a part of classroom learning resonates with me. Not using digital tools in the classroom could seem as if there was a disconnect between school life and home life which may not be conducive to learning. 

I also liked her use of blogs for her students as a way to record and show their learning and receive feedback from others and her use of Twitter as a way for her students to connect with other classrooms and learn from them. Study.com (n.d) talks about social learning theory and how students learn more effectively when they learn from each other. They also say, "social media platforms can help to increase communication skills and provide a 'back door' for shy learners. While many students struggle with speaking in front of their classmates, they may feel more comfortable 'speaking' on social media. This provides an outlet for students who are too intimidated to raise their hands in class. Furthermore, social media relies on the written word, making it an excellent means of improving writing skills" (pg.1).
Sharples et al (2016) also support the use of social media as a learning platform when they discuss how social media can "support creativity, collaboration, communication and sharing of resources" (p.12).
I can see the benefits of using a social media platform in my classroom as a means for my students to connect with others, deepen their learning and improve their literacy and communication skills. However, I also see there are challenges to using social media in the classroom. These challenges include websites with inaccurate information, inappropriate audience comments, unsuitable audience, and general issues around cyber safety.

I think the challenges of using social media in the classroom can be addressed through websites for teachers such as the Education Council website 'What is social media?' (NZ Education Council, n.d.) and information booklets such as 'DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY Safe and responsible use in schools' ( Ministry of Education, 2015).

Useful link Twenty amazing ways for teachers to use social media in the classroom

References:

Ministry of Education. (2015).Ministry of Education. (2015).DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY Safe and responsible use in schools. Wellington: New Zealand: Author. Retrieved from https://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/School/Managing-and-supporting-students/DigitalTechnologySafeAndResponsibleUseInSchs.pdf

NZ Education Council. (n.d.). What is social media . Retrieved from http://teachersandsocialmedia.co.nz/what-social-me...

Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., Jasper, M. (2001) Critical Reflection Model. Retrieved from: https://my.cumbria.ac.uk/media/MyCumbria/Documents/ReflectiveModelRolfe.pdf

Study.com. (n.d). Using Social Media in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/using-social-media-in-the-classroom.html

Law & Ethics in Practice

Week 28 - Mindlab reflection: Law & Ethics in Practice

My post this week analyses an ethical dilemma in my teaching practice. To analyse this dilemma I have used Rolfe's (2001) model of reflection and Erlich et. al's. (2011) ethical decision making model.

Step 1 (What): While viewing the school's Facebook page I notice a number of pictures of groups of children involved in a whole school activity day. In many of the pictures I see a child from my class whose parents have expressly asked the school that their child's picture not be posted on any school social media platform - including Facebook and Seesaw. I was not the teacher that posted the pictures.

Step 2 (So what): 

Using Erlich et.al. (2011) ethical decision making model, I was able to see a need to consider  professional ethics and legal issues/policies in this dilemma. Consideration of professional ethics led me to search what the education code regarding my professional responsibility had to say. 
My professional responsibility is to

• demonstrate a high standard of professional behaviour and integrity
• engage in professional, respectful and collaborative relationships with colleagues
• promote the wellbeing of learners and protect them from harm
• engage in relationships with families and whānau that are professional and respectful

My understanding of the education code means I am unable to ignore the fact I know the child's pictures are on Facebook and need to make some choices as to what to do about it because...

• I have a responsibility to the child to ensure she is protected from harm and as I have no knowledge of the reasons why the parents of the child do not want her picture on social media, I have to consider there may be issues around her safety. 
• It is my role to behave with professionalism and integrity - I know I have to speak to the person who posted the pictures but should I inform the parents?
• Her parents finding out their child's picture is on Facebook may cause a breach in our professional relationship. The parents may feel I have not respected their wishes and there may be future trust issues. 
• In a professional and respectful way I need to inform my colleague that something will need to be done about the pictures and work out a way to ensure future pictures are not posted on Facebook.

Step 3 (Now what):

 To address the dilemma, I could...

• ensure policies and procedures around posting children's images on social media are current and all staff are clear about them.
• ensure staff know which children do not have permission for their images to be posted and where to find this information if they are unsure.
• speak to the person who posted the pictures and ask that they be removed.
• speak to the parents, alerting them to what has happened and informing them of the steps that have been taken to remedy the situation and ensure it doesn't happen again.

REFERENCES

Education Council. (2017). Our Code Our Standards. Retrieved 11th March, 2018 from: https://educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/files/Our%20Code%20Our%20Standards%20web%20booklet%20FINAL.pdf

Ehrich, L. C. , Kimber M., Millwater, J. & Cranston, N. (2011). Ethical dilemmas: a model to understand teacher practice, Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice, 17:2, 173-185, DOI: 10.1080/13540602.2011.539794

Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., Jasper, M. (2001) Critical Reflection Model. Retrieved from: https://my.cumbria.ac.uk/media/MyCumbria/Documents/ReflectiveModelRolfe.pdf