Educators Shouldn’t Act Differently On Social Media

On By Patrick LarkinIn Social mediaLeave a comment
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As someone who is a big proponent of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. as tools to communicate, connect, and learn, I often get asked about the downside of social media use for educators.  My honest answer is that I really don’t see a downside for educators in using social media tools for the purposes I mention above.  The two biggest reasons for educators to be using social media are as follows:
  1. Educators need to model the use of these online communication resources in a responsible manner.
  2. Social Media provides an avenue for educators to amplify their voices and share the great work happening in their classrooms at a time where teachers and schools are often viewed with disdain.
I was asked about this topic by Tanya Roscorla from the Center for Digital Education in her recent article How should educators act on social media? Here is my response:
“If people out themselves as intolerant, ignorant people on social media, I think it’s a good thing, and they shouldn’t be in those positions to begin with.”
I really don’t think the answer to the question about how educators should act on social media should be any different than the answer to the question – How should educators act?  We should not be partaking in illegal behavior period. While the headlines and the negative PR that may come back to school districts due to the inappropriate online behavior of their employees is certainly unfortunate, the unveiling of individuals who seek to do harm to others with their words and/or actions is an unintended benefit.
Finally, let us be clear on the most important part of this topic. Social Media is not the cause of inappropriate behavior, it is a vehicle for communication that can highlight both the positive and the negative actions and comments of inidividuals. All we can really control is our own actions. That is nothing new.

My Weekly Diigo Bookmarks (February 21, 2016)

On By Patrick LarkinIn UncategorizedLeave a comment
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Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

My Weekly Diigo Bookmarks (February 14, 2016)

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Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

My Weekly Diigo Bookmarks (February 7, 2016)

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We’ve Passed The Midway Mark – BPS Blog Update (Volume 6)

On By Patrick LarkinIn BPS Blog UpdateLeave a comment
Since the last update on January 3, we have cruised past the midway point of the year. In addition, the month of January was the busiest month of the year for the Burlington Blog with over 7,000 views.  It would be great to add some posts from sources that have not been highlighted yet this year.  Please drop me an e-mail with anything you would like have highlighted here. In addition, I would love to visit your classroom and share what you and your students are up to as I did with Mrs. Fitzpatrick’s students at Pine Glen.

Also don’t forget you can subscribe to the Burlington Blog Update on Flipboard by clicking here.








Only 85 posts to go…

What Are You Doing About Infomania and FOMO?

On By Patrick LarkinIn FOMO, Infomagical, Infomania, Note to Self1 Comment
As someone who spends a lot of time utilizing technological resources and trying to support educators who are trying to integrate them in a meaningful way with students, I also spend a lot of time wondering about what the perfect balance might be between using technology and not using technology. To be even more specific, I wonder if there is any way to know for sure how much time people waste online versus how much of their time is productive. I know that I have had times where I have suffered from fear of missing out (FOMO) and I wonder how much others suffer from this and how much it might be distracting them from the task at hand.
Living in a time where Digital Literacy is a critical component of our work in schools, we need to ensure that we are raising student awareness of their own behaviors. Of course to do this, we need have an awareness of our own propensity to be sidetracked by FOMO.  Do you get anxious if you are away from Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, email, or some game-based app for a short period of time?  If so, you may be suffering from Infomania which is defined by the Oxford dictionary as “the compulsive desire to check or accumulate news and information, typically via mobile phone or computer.”
It this is ringing a bell with you, I encourage you to jump on board with the Infomagical project from Manoush Zomorodi and the Note to Self podcast team.  Check out the statistics below that the Note to Self team collected and take 25 minutes to listen to the podcast below on the Infomagical movement.  A discussion surrounding Infomania needs to be a healthy part of our digital literacy curriculum so that our students can lead a more productive and satisfying existence. 
In a survey of nearly 2,000 Note to Self listeners:  
  • 60 percent said they feel like the amount of effort they must exert to stay up-to-date on a daily basis is “taxing.” Another 15 percent said it’s downright “impossible.”
  • 4 out of 5 said information overload affects their ability to learn.
  • 1 out of 3 said information overload was affecting their close relationships. 

https://www.wnyc.org/widgets/ondemand_player/wnyc/#file=/audio/json/566277/&share=1

My Weekly Diigo Bookmarks (January 31, 2016)

On By Patrick LarkinIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Don’t Underestimate the Power of OER

On By Patrick LarkinIn #GoOpen, #OERLeave a comment

This post originally appeared on my Edweek Blog

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In my previous post, I discussed the importance of schools looking closely at Open Educational Resources (OER).  Recently, I have been reading with great interest some posts by Ryan Merkley, the CEO of Creative Commons,  which further highlight the significance of schools looking at OER.  Merkley’s thoughts on the importance of the community collaborating to build something that can benefit all of us has important connections to the development of OER. There is a clear opportunity before us to work together for equity and access to high quality resources for all of our schools. In addition, Merkley’s words echo some of the key expectations that we should have for students.
“Collaboration, sharing, and co-operation are in our nature — building community, co-operating towards common goods, and creating shared benefits are at the heart of who we are.”
The major stumbling block that I see for schools in achieving this has nothing to do with the technology that we will need to support educators who will choose to do this work. Instead, the major impediment is an outdated notion of what we as educators should be focusing on. In a system where standardized testing is king, educators and their students are left as consumers of standards and resources to support these standards which have been overly influenced by companies whose main focus is the mighty dollar and not building a shared community that puts learning and learners first.
The OER movement provides an opportunity to change this and put the power back in the hands of teachers and students.  We need schools who support staff members in becoming creators who not only collaborate with colleagues across classrooms but also across local, state, and national boundaries. By undertaking this work, we will also be supporting our students in modeling the skills and behaviors that they are going to need to be successful in “real life.”
As I read Merkley’s vision for Creative Commons below, I think it would be applied just as well as a focal point for what we would like to see in our schools.
“The Internet is real life. It’s where we go to work. It’s how we connect to the people we love. It’s where we tell our stories. This is the society we’re building together. If it is going to be fair, equal, diverse, vibrant, serendipitous, and safe for everyone, it will only be because we choose to make it that way. If it is going to be accessible, equitable, and full of innovation and opportunity, it will require our leadership to build the foundations that support these ideals.”
I think the adoption of OER in our schools can be a big step on the way to help us achieve this important challenge.

A Visit To A Francis Wyman Co-Taught Classroom

On By Patrick LarkinIn ELL, Francis Wyman Elementary School, Kerri Lamprey, Tina SosnowskiLeave a comment
Recently, I received an invitation to visit a first grade class at Francis Wyman which was co-taught by first grade teacher Ms. Sosnowski and ELL teacher Ms. Lamprey.  It was very impressive to see the students in the class taking part in academic conversations and collaborating to discuss and share their thoughts in fiction and nonfiction texts. In addition, I was happy to see so many students step up in front of their classmates to help their teachers with the lesson.
Towards the end of the class, Jai’s mom read us The Elephant Dance and then we were all treated to a live performance of The Elephant Dance by Jai.  It was so much fun seeing these students work so well together and then seeing Jai share his dancing talents with his teachers and classmates! Make sure you check out Jai’s dance below and pictures from the lesson.

My Weekly Diigo Bookmarks (January 24, 2016)

On By Patrick LarkinIn UncategorizedLeave a comment
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.