Well here we go with another exploration of new media in a school setting.
Wanting to take a little bit of control over what is said and posted under our school's name in the Facebook world I have set up an official Waimairi School Facebook page. Now the experiment begins.
Some thinking behind taking this action:
1. It is good to link our existing Twitter feeds to a wider audience, Facebook offers that.
2. For a long time I have worried about the large number of our children who have ignored the 13 year-old rule and set up a Facebook account. Often these accounts have no privacy setting activated and these kids are far too open with what they post and reveal. I am thinking a few of them will end up 'liking' the Waimairi page, thus offering a great chance for me to have a good solid cyber safety conversation about why the heck they are on Facebook (with them and their parents).
3. For a long time I have worried about staff with very open Facebook privacy settings. I am thinking a few of them will end up 'liking' the Waimairi page, thus offering a great chance for me to have a good solid cyber safety conversation about what they are showing the world.
4. It will be nice to engage parents, staff and ex-pupils in the vibrant life of the school.
So it is all about wonderful celebration and showcasing - and also pushing social networking accounts into a defined workplace arena which will stimulate considerable reflection on privacy and content. Been looking for an authentic context to teach cyber safety with children, parents and teachers think I have found one now (who wants the worst of their Facebook life hanging out for all to see and linked to their school's website?)
Drop in to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Waimairi-School/144088335612447 to see how it all unfolds.
loving the idea Ando.
ReplyDeletePersonally as a teacher I have private facebook page and a teacher one. i decided to embrace the facebook revolution particularly with children but didn't want them to be a part of my private life too. often have 'facebook sessions' with ch'n from class who are on - [seems most parents give go ahead nowadays but not much education involved] i think it's a duty for me to make ch'n aware of whats ok to put on and whats not, and also to demonstrate and show and discuss openly the privacy issues and settings on facebook also. we frequently talk about dangers also discuss 'sticky situations' that may or may not arise - ya know the 'what would you do? scenarios. ch'n of today are going to do it...we have to support and educate them.