Social Media as a Communication Strategy ACPE Conference May 5, 2011
Casey White & Leslie Lovell InterMountain Communications
It’s OK for your school to dive into the social media pool! • Why social media is becoming necessary in school districts • Common social media fears • Implementing social media in your school
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
Why it’s necessary • Social media is becoming a great tool for schools to communicate with parents and other community members/stakeholders. • Helps with transparency in the district, gathering feedback, rumor control. • Creates conversations.
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
• Can help with relationships and communication between teachers and students, and the school district/building and parents. • Can be an immediate way to let students, staff, parents and community know about school events, closures, emergencies, etc.
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
Social Networking in the Classroom • Many educators recognize they’re behind the times in terms of technology, and they need to use the tools students are using to communicate effectively. • Social network use as a classroom tool has been shown to increase student engagement, technological proficiency, communication skills, and collaboration. • Can also increase students’ participation in class, improve attendance, and improve grades due to the increased engagement. ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
Value educators find in use of social networking in education
Connect with the local community Connect with students Connect with parents Project Collaboration Create PLCs 0%
Graph from MMS Education, 2009
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
Challenges & Concerns of Social Media Use by School Districts
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
Chart from OSBA
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
Lack of Staff Time • Social media doesn’t have to take a lot of your time! • Social media shouldn’t replace other school district communication tools – it’s just another tool in the district’s communication “toolbox.” • Don’t duplicate your efforts if you don’t have to – redirect social media followers back to your web site. ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
Monitoring your sites • Monitoring your sites for unsavory “followers” and “fans” should only take a few minutes per week. • Inappropriate comments can be removed or blocked. • Some comments/questions posted by “followers” or “fans” should be met with a response from the district. ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
Legal/Security Concerns • Concerns about overuse and misuse of social media sites in schools • Limited access for staff • IT staff can monitor use of sites
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
Policies • No laws yet related to school use of social media sites • OSBA does not yet have sample policies available related to use of social media in or by schools
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
Don’t See the Need • But there IS a need! • Schools need to keep up with the most current and effective ways to communicate with students, parents, community and staff • Go where the people are – don’t always expect them to come to you
ACPE Conference - May 5, 2011
QUESTIONS?
