Activity 6: Using social online networks in teaching or professional development

As a school, we use social media in a variety of ways - to connect to others, to find out information from experts, and to share our learning and understandings.When considering the benefits of social media, I think that it depends on the purpose.
Firstly, social media has provided opportunities for us, as West Coasters, to connect to others within New Zealand and beyond.   Twitter and edmodo have been used as part of Chapterchat and NZreadalound projects that our classes have been part of.  In agreement with Sharples and others (2016) in  Innovating Pedagogy 2016: Open University Innovation Report 5, this social media has provided opportunities for our learners to draw on the experiences of others.  Furthermore, we have found this an effective way to collaborate with classes within New Zealand and across the world.   Learners find this highly engaging. This was particularly evident  when learners took part in a global project through edmondo, that shared different classes lives from around the world.  So classes used this as a springboard into their social science learning.   On the other hand, I agree with  Melhuish (2013) ideas the social media lacks the quality control.  We have definitely found this the case in when blogging with other schools.  We are unable to control the regularity and quality of posts and comments from other schools and this at times can undermine what we are doing in our classrooms.  For example, we are teaching our children about quality comments that are kind, positive and helpful; and the comments we receive say good work.  However, as we as educators are becoming more skilled at teaching through digital media and are learning off other classes that are ‘experts’, this is reducing somewhat.  
Secondly,  social media have provided us with amazing information from experts.  From direct interviews through twitter feeds from League stars or  NASA.  The benefits are that this provides personalised learning where students are able to ask questions of experts in a first hand way.  Nevertheless, I think that the challenge of this may be that this can affirm learners beliefs without them questioning this (Melhuish, 2013).  To address this challenge, more teaching of cybersmarts and research skills needs to occur  to ensure that learners have evidence from a range of sources.  In addition, learners have the skills to synthesise the information that they receive and create their own understanding based on a range of sources both online and offline.  
Finally, using social media to share our learning and understanding with others.  I think the greatest benefit of social media is its visible nature for whanau.   We mainly use blogger and seesaw to share our learning with others.  Using blogger and seesaw means that all whanau are able to see what their learners are publishing and are able to comment on it.   As part of the Manaiakalani Outreach Project classes are buddied up with each other.  However, some teachers have noted that there is variation in the amount of posts and replies from other classes.   The challenges of using blogger and seesaw  are educating whanau to be an active participant rather than a lurker and ensuring that learners are posting quality, regular posts that are clear to the reader.   To address this we have mechanisms in place so learners need approval to post their learning and scaffolds to support what a quality posts looks like.  Again, as we become better at supporting learners in this, the less this will be a challenge.  In addition, educating whanau is another area that we are continuing to develop.  
Social Media is a great way to connect isolated communities with our global world.  
Melhuish, K.(2013). Online social networking and its impact on New Zealand educators’ professional learning. Master Thesis. The University of Waikato. Retrieved on 05 May, 2015 from http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/han…
Sharples, M., de Roock , R., Ferguson, R., Gaved, M., Herodotou, C., Koh, E., Kukulska-Hulme, A., Looi,C-K, McAndrew, P., Rienties, B., Weller, M., Wong, L. H. (2016). Innovating Pedagogy 2016: Open University Innovation Report 5. Milton Keynes: The Open University. Retrieved from http://proxima.iet.open.ac.uk/public/innovating_pedagogy_2016.pdf

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