As far as social networking goes, school are an obvious location for this to be happening in. Long before the Internet and websites such as Myspace and Facebook came along, students and teachers were using their daily trips to school as a place to meet and talk to people. We want kids to develop social skills, right? Well, Internet social networking is just another step beyond the traditional face-to-face networking. I think there is a lot of potential for active engagement and learning through the use of social networking sites at school. All types of people, businesses, and groups have Myspace and Facebook pages, so why shouldn't a school media center? After all, media centers are suppose to be providers of information and knowledge, and therefore we should be open to reaching our patrons through this "new" technology.
As with anything in an academic setting, there needs to be parameters and guidelines established for its use. When students are at school, they are there to learn. It's their "job" so to speak. Students should not have uncontrolled access to social networking sites because in the school setting, the focus should still remain on learning and academics. Additionally, many schools have strong filters which block websites like Myspace and Facebook. School media centers can use websites like LibraryThing and perhaps even invest in upgraded OPAC systems like Destiny v8.5 which allow for aspects of social networking. Using these types of websites, students and teachers would be able to create book reviews, ratings, and tagging. Media specialists could use these sites to keep patrons informed of events and schedule changes with an interactive calendar. Another benefit of social networking is that media centers could "network" and get to know schools from around the country and world. Imagine the learning opportunities there!
Finally, this type of technology is another great way to educate students, parents, and teachers about Internet safety. There are many sites which a media specialist could use to teach lessons and provide resources about personal Internet privacy and information sharing. Education is the strongest tool we can give our children, and helping them get off on the right foot with new technologies is a responsibility we have to meet.
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3 comments:
You are right about the potential for active engagement and learning through a social networking site. I was curious about your comment on Destiny v 8.5, so I went to the Follett website to read about it. How exciting that they are seeing and using the potential of their software to engage students! They are providing a safe and engaging place for students to post ratings and reviews (which can include audio and video reviews); to virtually browse the library shelves: to upload PPT, audio and video to a MARC record, and to receive book recommendations from teachers, the media specialist and other students. And I read that Destiny v. 9 is now out with even more social networking features.
Thank you for giving us the heads-up on this new feature!
I agree with your response about student not having total control when using social networking. Yes, internet filters should be used when students are exploring these sites. There are a lot of disadvantages to social networking, such as predators meeting teens in chat rooms, harassment by others, and social addictions. The media specialists and teachers should monitor students use at all times for their protection.
Also the media specialist should provide safe social networking websites for students, teachers, and parents. They need to well informed about tody's technology. Providing workshops for them would keep them update with what is going on in the world.
I liked your reference to Myspace and Facebook. Students have much more experience in these areas of technology. In order to stay current, it is important that the media specialist helps to familiarize the staff with this type of technology. Students should be able to use these forms of social networking with specified guidelines and parameters.
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