I have to admit, before diving into the readings and exploring other blogs, e-ventures, and e-sources, I wasn't entirely sure of the value, or premise, of backchannel communication in the classroom. However, through exploration, I discovered several awesome resources that could be used by administrators and teachers to increase parent-teacher relationships, teacher-student relationships, and overall family and school communication.
In a previous reading of chapter five in Sheninger, he stated, "If schools are serious about having an effective family-school communication, we cannot continue to turn a blind eye to social media." I agree with this statement. Schools are oftentimes afraid of social media because of the negative affects that it can have, however, I think that if social media is navigated and explored effectively, it can create an invaluable source for parents and teachers to connect. According to the text, traditional schools are more closed than they are open. Those who are connected to a greater social network are more informed about best practice, educational beliefs, and current perceptions in the media (Sheninger, 2014). Therefore, the opportunity to explore needs to be available and encouraged in schools by both administrators to their teachers, and teachers to their students.
Currently, my district uses our district website which links to each individual school. When you click on your child's school, you are able to visit their teacher's Fusion page. Fusion pages, if kept up to date, highlight upcoming quizzes, tests, homework assignments, school events, and reminders for parents. However, after reading Born's e-ventures and e-sources, there are many opportunities to revamp Fusion pages and make them much more engaging to families at home. Something that I am very impressed by in my district is the utilization of our district's App. I think that we are embracing technology and trying our best to keep up with trends. This was an e-venture in Born's chapter 10.
Something that I found interesting from my exploration of Born's The Technology-Ready School Administrator was Today's Meet. Wow! What a fantastic way to connect with a variety of kids in the classroom. The thing that I love most about this is the ability to reach every student at their 'lightbulb moment.' I have a co-taught classroom, and although I think this is the case in many classrooms, I have really seen it in my classroom within the last year. Students take a variety of different approaches in order to grasp material, and unfortunately, with the pace of a general education classroom, those moments are not always highlighted. With something like Today's Meet, kids can discuss information in a private chat room where they feel comfortable. Check out this awesome story which advocates for backchanneling in the classroom, and mentions the usage of Today's Meet.
I was also very interested in exploring Poll Everywhere and Kidblog.org. I've loved the blogging experience and I have not always loved Blackboard sites, or commenting on other people's posts. However, just utilizing a different venue made this much more enjoyable for me. I think that exploring Kidblog would be a great use of a teacher's time.
I would be remised not to mention Twitter. With 140 characters or less, Twitter is an excellent way to connect, share insightful quotes, and link to educational blogs. Sheninger focused on Lyn Hilt's journey as she discovered the usefulness of blogging and twitter to enhance relationships and gain a useful following. I think that her journey highlights the struggle of navigating social media very well. Starting a blog is one thing, but creating a forum where people can have insightful conversations, tackle problems in education, and provide useful feedback is an entirely different task. It's critical to analyze resources, make connections, and embrace social media overall. By utilizing something as simple as Twitter, and reading conversations with the hashtag #EdChat, connections are immediately made.
For someone knew to exploring bachkchanneling in the classroom, like myself, I think that this short article is a great start, check it out!
Thank you for suggesting Poll Everywhere! This may be a tool that I eventually use in my classroom. Also the sentiment about needing to use social media really stuck out to me. If we use a tool they already are familiar with, it will increase engagement. If we use a tool that is interesting and new, we will increase the buy in among students.
ReplyDeleteOMG! Great educators think alike. I too connected "10 Ways to Use Backchannels in the Classroom " to my post this week. It was a great resource to get teachers or administrators started in on a new idea for the classroom or school. Twitter is a tool that I want to use, but just haven't and I am not sure why. It is a great way to communicate, short, simple and to the point. It gives instant feedback and commentary in real time, so it is a perfect way to incorporate in many discussions. I definitely believe before long, I will have plenty to Tweet about.
ReplyDeleteBackchanneling was a new concept to me as well. I am looking forward to using Twitter in my classroom next year. The majority of my high school students have a Twitter account already so I am hoping they will enjoy using it as part of our classroom. I agree with you that Today's Meet seems like a fantastic way to connect with each student.
ReplyDeleteI like that your school uses it's web page as an opportunity to communicate more effectively with parents. I am sure they will revamp it soon! I hope my district ups on board with that. I feel like school district web pages have more to offer than they do. Even teachers could use their own web page to customize it for their students and families. They could post links, picture, and videos. That alone would be a step in the right direction!
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you described the usefulness of social media. My school administration does not use it well or effectively more because of fear than being unable to learn how to use it.
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