Slides from NYSCATE (New York State Association for Computing and Technologies in Education) Annual Conference 2013 presentation on social media in public schools.
1. Social Media:
School & Community
Engagement
NYSCATE 2013
http://goo.gl/b32j1w
Chris Casal
PS 10 - Brooklyn, NY
@mr_casal
2. Introduction
● Chris
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computer teacher
technology coordinator
Google Apps & iPad geek
@mr_casal & @PS10Tech
http://about.me/mrcasal
● PS 10
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K-5 public school
GAFE
iPads for teachers
Technology is a big focus
@PS10Brooklyn
3. Our Two-pronged Approach
● Make technology useful & seamlessly
integrated for staff benefit
○ Google Apps - email, Docs, sites, blogs, etc
○ iPads integrated for mobility & efficiency
● Make technology useful & seamlessly
integrated for student/parent/community
benefit
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Facebook & Twitter
SchoolMessenger
Google Apps
Skype/Hangouts
4. Teachers
● GAFE better than DOE Outlook
○ more space, custom groups, lists, etc
● Share lessons & curriculum maps via Drive
● Dropbox for other files - those that don’t play
nice with Drive
● “TechHelp”
○ online form to submit requests for in-house computer
assistance
● iMac, MacBook in every room
● Every teacher has an iPad
● All aspects integrated & supported
5. Why does teacher tech matter?
Access, Comfort & Familiarity
● If a teacher doesn’t have a device...
● If a teacher doesn’t isn’t comfortable with
using technology...
● If a teacher hasn’t made an intimate
connection with how best to use it for them...
6. Why does teacher tech matter?
● If teachers aren’t constant, authentic users
of technology, aren’t engaged themselves,
technology & social media will never work to
engage others...
7. Why does teacher tech matter?
Teachers are the social
media ambassadors of the
school community
8. Community
● Website
○ ps10.org
■ collaborative between PTA & staff
■ staff directory of email & class sites
■ Calendar, event notices, pictures
● Twitter
○ @PS10Brooklyn
● Facebook
○ PS 10 Brooklyn
9. Social Media
● Big push
● Many staff members active
○ https://twitter.com/PS10Brooklyn/lists/staff
● Hashtags
○ #ps10bk - general
○ #ps10sw - student work
○ #ps10st - student tweets
● TagBoards
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http://tagboard.com/ps10bk
http://tagboard.com/ps10sw
http://tagboard.com/ps10st
Parents use hashtags during school-wide events
10. Why Twitter?
● Twitter was new to all
○ sometimes it’s easier to teach a new thing than a
familiar thing a new way
● Easy to keep “personal” and “professional”
separate
○ no one had a personal account
● It’s a quick, easy to use broadcast platform
not requiring viewers to have an account
14. Our City Councilman tweeting appreciation for our PTA the full community, beyond just the “school community”
15. The Paperwork
● Boilerplate NYCDOE “photo consent form”
○ start-of-year packet
○ covers a wide variety of media type & use
● Classroom teachers know parent comfort
● Clusters are informed
○ master list readily available
You don’t need to show faces to show
successes & engage families
16. Tying the two together
● Make technology natural, meaningful, and
impactful for teachers & they’ll use it
● Class web pages, blogs & twitter feeds
easily meet Common Core & NYS Teacher
Evaluation standards - all considered “social
media”
● Engage parents through technology & limit
the “I didn’t know” moments
17. Looking forward...
● Skype & Google Hangouts
○ virtual field trips & author visits
● Google Hangouts
○ PTA meetings, Curriculum Nights
● Independent Student blogs/digital portfolios
● Pushing the envelope & always trying new
things...
18. Roadmap for Social media...
● Pick a platform
● Build a framework
○ be flexible & adventurous
● Let teachers be your ambassadors
○ trust
● Support & encourage engagement
Communications & community are built, most
solidly, when the methods are natural &
useful...