To the dismay of television producers who count on viewers spending free time on the couch passively consuming content, citizens of most developed nations are spending more free time connecting with one another through social media.
- 61 percent of adults who regularly go online—and 73 percent of online teens—interact with one another on social networking websites (Lenhart, Purcell, Smith, & Zickuhr, 2010; Madden, 2010).
- People spend 500 billion minutes per month on Facebook. The average Facebook user spends 55 minutes per day on the site (Facebook, 2010; Hepburn, 2010a).
- 50 million messages daily (or 600 messages per second) are posted on Twitter, a microblogging site with 145 million users (Alexa, 2010; Compete, 2010; Hepburn, 2010b; Weil, 2010).
- YouTube has 24 hours of new video uploaded every minute and receives 2 billion daily page views (Hepburn, 2010c).
Mirroring these trends, educators are now increasingly taking advantage of social media services and tools. A recent survey showed that 61 percent of teachers, principals, and librarians are active in at least one social media space. Many use those spaces for professional development—attending webinars, watching YouTube videos, listening to podcasts, or participating on blogs (edWeb.net, 2010).
What's frustrating—particularly to many younger teachers—is that the same social media spaces widely embraced outside schools are routinely blocked within schools by district firewalls. Fears—driven by concerns about cyberbullying or inappropriate postings—cause school leaders to think twice about whether the advantages of social media outweigh the potential consequences of misuse.
For schools who've embraced social media spaces as tools for reaching out, however, the rewards are real. As Eric Sheninger, principal of New Milford High School in New Jersey, a school with an active Twitter account and Facebook page, explains,
Unlike traditional forms of communication such as snail mail and press releases, I can provide updates in real time as events happen, on Twitter and in Facebook. Since society as a whole is actively using social media, it only makes sense to connect with my community through these means. (E. Sheninger, personal communication, September 30, 2010)
Connecting is exactly what Sheninger does through Facebook and Twitter. Explore his posts in both places and you'll see messages that celebrate the school's athletic victories, spotlight student work, and promote functions like parent nights and performances. You'll also see parents and other community members interacting with teachers and with one another—lending congratulations, asking questions, sharing opinions. Finally, you'll see Sheninger eagerly sharing photographs from school events and links to local newspaper articles, videos, and resources connected to student learning. New Milford High stakeholders can receive information on school events, student accomplishments, and innovations in the classroom from any Internet-connected computer or mobile device any time.
Perhaps most exciting for Sheninger is that participation in social media spaces enables him to tap into the thoughts and feelings of students—a group often overlooked in conversations about teaching and learning. "My students took notice of my affinity for Twitter during a meeting with members of student government," he explains. "They conveyed that Facebook was a more appropriate medium to reach them and disseminate the same information." So now, many New Milford High School students follow the school's Facebook page, joining in community conversations that they hadn't been a part of before.
Proceed with Caution
Although Sheninger is proud of the work that he is doing in social media, he has also walked cautiously. All the messages he shares are connected to learning or to school events. He also has every family complete a new media release form before sharing pictures or video featuring students, and he regularly communicates with stakeholders about the purposes of New Milford's social media efforts. With these precautions in place, Sheninger told me, the school district has enthusiastically supported his efforts.
So what would Sheninger recommend to leaders interested in using social media to reach out to school communities? "The first step is to lurk and learn," he explains.
Watch what other principals are doing to get a good idea of information and content being shared with stakeholders. Begin to establish a vision and some goals as to what you want to accomplish using social media. I do not suggest diving right in. As you become more comfortable, begin to gradually share information relating to your school, students, staff, and the education profession. Finally, as with any new endeavor, communicate with the appropriate supervisors to elicit their support. (E. Sheninger, personal communication, September 30, 2010)
Integrating social media tools into a school's work is essential if leaders hope to build meaningful relationships with stakeholders. Although encouraging teachers to integrate social media into instruction may not be a risk you're ready to take, integrating these tools into your school's communication plans is an excellent first step.
