Using Social Media

Using Social Media in Teaching and Professional Development
- Hosted by the Adult Literacy Professional Development and Technology Discussion Lists.[[1]]

The purpose of this Wiki page is to archive the discussion of Using Social Media in Teaching and Professional Development.
July 12 - August 6, 2010

Since these pages are manually updated, there will be lag time between when a message is posted to a discussmon list and when it appears in the appropriate category in the "Discussion Threads" box on the right. The advantage of viewing the posts here is that they will be threaded. (A final compilation of threaded posts will be moved and published on the NIFL site when the discussion ends.) But to find the most recent postings, check out the automated archives by visiting: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/professionaldevelopment/2010/date.html

Most recent posts are located at the top.

For more information about the discussion, visit: http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/professionaldevelopment/10onlinepartIII

Summary

(Added as time allows)

Reasons participants have joined this discussion:

Professional Development

• Host collegial conversations, networking, and professional interfacing with adult educators, specifically those who have limited access to other adult educators b/c they work at satellite programs or in rural areas
• Find free online tools for working with colleagues at-a-distance
• Integrate social media into online courses
• Provide support to teachers
• Make integrating technology relevant to practice
• Learn from others who have found creative ways to use Twitter for personal PD
• Small group activities are helpful for thinking about next 'personal PD' steps

Teaching and Program Management

• Use for program outreach, recruitment, marketing, and retention
• Help adult learners interact in meaningful ways
• Use social media to foster culture of lifelong learning
• Find different uses for integrating into instruction, both in class and at-a-distance

General

• Intrigued by the possibilities
• Survey was helpful to learn of possibilities
• Make personal connections
• Get to know social media world

Thursday Recap on Social Networking, Online Collaboration, and Audio/Web Conferencing:

Summary:

• The "What a cool tool!" temptation [#4836]: Steve writes, "I often find a way to integrate a tool appropriately when I focus on how a tool might mimic a teaching strategy I am already successfully using in the classroom. For example, Wendy Quinones notes that synchronous chats during an otherwise asynchronous course seem to work well. My sense is that this is because it more closely resembles how discussion would happen in her class."

• PD -Teachers share about a lesson activity and colleagues comment and give advice.

Tool: Blogs to my mind can actually have the potential for deeper reflection and more extended interchange than a short exchange in the teacher's room or crowded workshop.

• Reading circle/book club -Worked well in the ESOL classroom.

Tool: This approach was mimicked with small groups by using the group conference feature in Skype.

• Pre - reading or writing activity - As a warm-up, students are asked to respond to questions before beginning to read or start writing.

Tool: A tool like Voicethread http://voicethread.com/#home.b409.i848804 can not only mimic a class discussion, but does so in an engaging and multimodal way.

• Don't forget our students may be on dial up at home, if access at all.

• [#4838] Latasha shares her thoughts, ideas, concerns on setting up a distance learning program.

• [#4840] Jessie shares research in differences btwn face-to-face meetings vs virtual meetings. Takehome: F2F forces others to know each other on a deeper level, usually leading to increased teamwork/performance. Need to use virtual tools/strategies for replicating that online.

Google:

• [#4839] Jackie invites discussion of Google tools and apps.

• [#4839] Melinda shares a plethora of Google Helpers and Sites: http://bit.ly/cPCwlh

• [#4857] Susan created us a sample form in Google Docs so we could see how easy it is to use for doing assessments, surveys, and quizzes with adult learners. Here it is: http://bit.ly/drWNwz . You will have the opportunity to explore this feature in small groups next week.

• [#4859] Melinda shares the various options available to those who use Google forms for instructional purposes.

• [#4839] Akira and others discuss whether you need a Google gmail account to use Google tools. Answer: No.

• [#4848] Kay tells us about downloading the Google pack, allows you to use all the Google features, free.

• Carole raises the flag of Google's data-snooping gaffe and privacy concerns:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/199508/google_under_multistate_privacy_microscope_how_we_got_here.html

• [#4845] Nell responds to Carole's concerns. It's important to discuss these issues in class so students can decide for themselves whether and how they wish to use these tools w/o violations of their privacy.

• [#4850] Deb asks us to include a strong foundation of Digital Etiquette when considering social media tools and privacy issues. She shares the curriculum, "Digital Citizenship - responsible digital behavior in a digital world: http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/

• [#4846] Richard responds to Carole. Choosing not to use social media at all b/c of this issue would be a mistake b/c ".we have a responsibility to our students to help prepare adults to be digitally literate citizens who fully understand the implications of participating in digital culture and can navigate these privacy issues themselves."

• [#4851] Mina responds to privacy concerns. She agrees that many of our adult learners fear technology and see it as "the Wild West" as Nell called it. How do we reduce this fear? Expose them to the sources: Google, FaceBook, MySpace, etc. Rather than tell them that companies "will infringe on your privacy," we should teach them how to make safe, informed choices on the Internet.

• [#4865] Emily shares a resource for the classroom: Edmodo: http://www.edmodo.com/?language=en Since it doesn't have ads, it appears clear and easy to navigate. And, because it is live-feed and has mobile accessibility, it might easier for learners to participate and stay engaged. On the teacher side, it seems like it would be easy and quick to set up and has grading, polls, and assignment listing. It also might help address the security and privacy issue, since it requires a teacher code to access and might not be blocked from classrooms.

Creating a Repository of Lessons on Integrating Social Media into Instruction:

• [#4841] Richard answers Steve's question on whether instructors use one tool or a suite of separate tools for instruction. He calls us to consider developing an online repository of lesson plans for using social media.

• [#4847] Deb responds to Richard, loves the idea of online lesson plan repository for using social media in adult education programs. She shares the AALPD Communities of Practice Wiki: http://aalpdresources.pbworks.com . She created a draft lesson plan template for us to react to, edit and finalize by fall 2010. We should check this out and edit.

• [#4860] Jeff recommends we work on this template; make it flexible so that individuals can add tags specific to their state or regional programs.

• [#4870] Jackie asked if we would like to get a small group together to flesh out the specifics for the online repository on integrating social media in adult education programs. Contact Jackie direct if you would like to lead this group: Jackie at jataylor.net and she will add it to the list: http://www.doodle.com/32xrgr57asqc65p4

Blogs and Ning:

• [#4843] Richard shares his experiences with social media. 1) Dissertation research findings on using blogs in adult education instruction. Students did write in a more social way by posting to each others' blogs, seeing writing as a tool for communication instead of obstacle to get GED; some students continued blogging after leaving program; blogs provided materials for subsequent GED classes. 2) Using Ning in professional development: http://newdigitalworld.ning.com/

• [#4861] Laura addresses the issue of online sites not continuing after an event or the event's purpose is met. She asks Richard if he would consider re-igniting the Ning on "Future of Adult Education in a Digital World."

• [#4862] Richard points out that online communities are sustainable when they are moderated. He asks whether we want it reopened moved to another location, like the ALE Wiki. Thoughts?

• [#4864] Victoire supports moving the content on the Ning to a site that's already developed.

• [#4868] Laura suggests expanding the Ning to include more content and move only if necessary. Also, she shares a You Tube video about the problems with media infrastructure in the world. Need to examine data on who is using learning tools so as to not exclude those from information who do not use certain tools: www.ted.com/talks

Content Filtering:

• [#4863] Jackie gives an example of content filtering with our own NIFL discussion list! Some subscribers don't receive some NIFL List email b/c of a word in the post that might trigger the subscribers' email client content filter. The solution? Contact your Tech Administrator and ask to request an exception for your email address, or to add nifl.gov email address to an "acceptable" list.

Introductions:

• [#4852] Catherine Green from CALPRO (http://www.calpro-online.org/) joins the group and shares with us what CALPRO does to integrate social media into professional development. This includes a featured weekly blog by subject matter experts, and supporting an e-CoP called the Virtual Workroom for Multilevel ESL Instructors:

http://www.calpro-online.org/VirtualWorkroom/default.asp which is open to all.

• [#4866] Duren Thompson from UT CLS (http://www.cls.utk.edu/) joins the conversations and shares why she uses social media; got hooked on the idea of chatting with people all over the world. She is fascinated by their application to professional development but urges us to structure their use in order to meet educational goals and purposes.

Why Social Media?

• [#4871] David urges a paradigm shift on the technology we use and a shift in where we invest our resources. Great comparison of high mileage cars, buildings with expansive parking lots to virtual learning experiences. Calls on us to trust our students inquiring nature and not fear the loss of control by teachers over the projects students wish to create online.

Recommendations for National Presenters:

• [#4855] Kimberlee asks for recommendations on a national-level presenter who is able to demonstrate how these tools can be used to enhance instruction. Contact her direct: kbryant at tcsg.edu .

• [#4858] Virginia shares information with us regarding the upcoming conference at Myrtle Beach on integrating technology.

Summary of Reflections from Culminating Discussions:

• #5013: Jayme shared her experience this summer through the lens of the learning model Jackie posted last week (#4981): create awareness/interest, build understanding, support guided practice, scaffold independent practice, promote opportunities to apply and transfer prior learning to new situations and problems. She discussed the unseen learning that happens even when PD processes may not be observable: “I'm reminded of the time my mom stirred sugar into water to show me that some things could exist even though you couldn't see them--and that those unseen things could be pretty sweet to boot!”.

• #5014: Nell shared her experience facilitating and learning with the Twitter group using Wiggio as a communication vehicle. She shared how the last two weeks were spent primarily learning the ins and outs of Twitter. While Wiggio was a collaboration tool it did add to the technology learning curve but people overall seemed to like it once they became familiar with it. Two archived chats resulted, and several participants got started with Twitter.

• #5017 Laine shared her experience also from across platforms: the Ning, Twitter, and Google Groups. She discussed her experience setting up an account with Ning and exploring its features. You Tube was “in the mix” with the Ning folks because You Tube does not have a platform conducive for collaborative discussions. So Richard was kind enough to allow the You Tube group plenty of space on the Ning he created for small group work.

• #5019 Laine shared her experience with Twitter and Tweetdeck, and how she’ll use it to share information about her research in ELL. She shared how followers get all information tweeted when she really may only want to target her tweets to certain followers. (Might want to check out GroupTweet, which turns a standard Twitter account into a group communication hub where members can direct tweets only to certain groups of their followers.)

• #5020 Jackie shared Paul’s and Susan’s reflections posted to the Tech List. Paul suggested we post group reports and Susan shared her experience (co)-facilitating multiple groups.

In general:

• Need to scaffold more time for practice

• Variety of levels of participation, from lurking, participating in discussions, creating accounts, experimenting with their uses, creating projects for teaching and PD

• Appreciation for this unique opportunity

• Facilitating doesn’t allow time for lurking; best to co-facilitate small groups

• Several mentions of the experience learning or facilitating across platforms