Educators learn how they need to embrace social media as a new communication tool with parents, students
CLAREMONT - With networking outlets like Facebook and Twitter dominating the way people communicate, it seems only natural the world of education jump on the social technology bandwagon to tell stories of what their students are learning and experiencing.
At an hands-on day-long boot camp Thursday at the Webb Schools, school administrators and teachers were introduced to social media and how to use it to build connections with their students, parents, faculty and alumni.
At an hands-on day-long boot camp Thursday at the Webb Schools, school administrators and teachers were introduced to social media and how to use it to build connections with their students, parents, faculty and alumni.
Attendees used their digital cameras, cell phones and digital-camcorders, as well as their own skills in communications to create content in order to learn how to apple these tools to their own outreach. Learn more about edSocialMedia at www.edsocialmedia.com "Social media is an important tool for communicating about what is happening at our school and students to our parents, alumni and other students," said Karen Bowman, Webb's director of marketing and communications.
"The days are gone where people will come to you for information, you have to be where they are and they're on social media."
The workshop was hosted by edSocialMedia, a group of educators and tech-savvy individuals who explore the use of social media in education.
Attendees included director of alumni relations, marketing coordinators, head of schools, school's development consultants and an art director.
The group of about 20 were required to generate a minimum of eight tweets spread out over two hours posted to edSocialMedia's Twitter feed, write two well-crafted articles for blogs, create a photo set in Flickr of 10 photos and post a brief two-minute video for YouTube.
"There was a gray area where educators were looking at social media and thought it was a fad," said Peter Baron, edSocialMedia partner and an instructor for Thursday's boot camp.
"But with 600 million users of Facebook it's gone from a fad that this is a utility like a cell phone or hot water."
During the boot camp, the group wandered around the Webb School campus, the co-educational boarding high school, talking to students about their experience on and off campus.
They also spent a lot of time talking to each other about why they need social media at their school.
"We're getting older and our parent body is getting younger," said Marie Kidd, head of school at Crestview Preparatory School in La Ca ada.
Bowman said there is this fear of social media in education because most educators feel they won't have control of the conversations that are happening online.
"But what they don't realize is that it's going to happen with or without you," she said. "But this gives you a chance to respond more quickly to things that are happening."
"The days are gone where people will come to you for information, you have to be where they are and they're on social media."
The workshop was hosted by edSocialMedia, a group of educators and tech-savvy individuals who explore the use of social media in education.
Attendees included director of alumni relations, marketing coordinators, head of schools, school's development consultants and an art director.
The group of about 20 were required to generate a minimum of eight tweets spread out over two hours posted to edSocialMedia's Twitter feed, write two well-crafted articles for blogs, create a photo set in Flickr of 10 photos and post a brief two-minute video for YouTube.
"There was a gray area where educators were looking at social media and thought it was a fad," said Peter Baron, edSocialMedia partner and an instructor for Thursday's boot camp.
"But with 600 million users of Facebook it's gone from a fad that this is a utility like a cell phone or hot water."
During the boot camp, the group wandered around the Webb School campus, the co-educational boarding high school, talking to students about their experience on and off campus.
They also spent a lot of time talking to each other about why they need social media at their school.
"We're getting older and our parent body is getting younger," said Marie Kidd, head of school at Crestview Preparatory School in La Ca ada.
Bowman said there is this fear of social media in education because most educators feel they won't have control of the conversations that are happening online.
"But what they don't realize is that it's going to happen with or without you," she said. "But this gives you a chance to respond more quickly to things that are happening."
Leave a comment