Facebook Pages and Twitter
What I saw libraries doing using Facebook Pages:
Hogg Middle School Library
One cool thing I saw libraries doing using Facebook Pages was to document the school librarians’ summer travel adventures by posting pictures of books found in different countries and languages. The librarians visited Istanbul and St. Petersburg and took pictures of books on the school’s summer reading list in the language of the country to have the students guess where they were. Also, this same school uses their library Facebook page to post videos of students giving announcements for the school. They also used it to post pictures from their literacy nights, author visits, and other fun library events.
Cypress Park High School Library
Some school libraries use their Facebook page more as a link to popular authors, book signing events, and general library information and advocacy instead of posting personal photos of their students and library. For example, this school library uses their Facebook Page to share updates and news from popular authors such as Ransom Riggs (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children). They also post author visits throughout the city for students to attend such as Marie Lu’s Wildcard Tour coming up September 19th.
Swenke Elementary School Library
I love how this school librarian uses the school library page as a way to communicate with students, parents, and staff. She posts about meeting everyone at Meet the Teacher night, books that she has read and enjoyed (which she also recommends to teachers for read-alouds), and events that have taken place at the school. She also uses it to advertise for Book Fairs, scholarships available to graduating seniors from Swenke, and Name That Book.
Advantages of using Facebook:
- Keeps track of library events, news, useful information in one place
- Easy for parents and students to return to for reference (concerning dates, book titles, information, etc.)
- Great way to post photos and share them with the school community
- Nice way to share photos and information of author visits for students and parents unable to attend
- Can be a personal way to communicate between librarian and parents
- Quick and easy way to advertise for fundraising events such as book fairs
- Allows for feedback from students and parents on every post
Disadvantages of using Facebook:
- Privacy concerns - some parents will not like their child’s photo being shared publicly, publicly sharing school event information can be seen by anyone
- Need to stay current and post frequently or else you lose the interest of your audience
- Some parents and students are not on Facebook and therefore will not see your posts and feel out of the loop; need to find another way to transmit information to them
- Some parents have very strong feelings about keeping their children off social media and disagree with a decision to use it as a communication tool for students
What I found in my exploration of Ed Tech leaders on Twitter:
After reading just one ed tech leader’s Twitter page, I already feel more “in the loop” with technology for students and teachers! Kathy Schrock (@kathyschrock) posted these helpful tweets just within the last week (wish I would have seen the Office365 post a couple of weeks ago before buying a new subscription for my daughter!):
Jim Lerman (@jmlerman) is also extremely helpful and informative with simple, straightforward tweets like this one for Google Classroom:
Also this tweet for Google Docs, Slides, and Forms:
I do find having to be directed his separate Scoop.it page and then clicking another link there to be cumbersome, but useful if needing information such as this:
Overall, after perusing several ed tech leader’s twitter pages, I found that I really appreciate those that focus their pages on disseminating ed tech information and links. Some mix quite a bit of personal tweets into their pages and it can be time consuming trying to find useful information. On a personal level, this is fine and fun to get to know these people more, but if following someone for professional purposes it can be distracting.
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Hogg Middle School Library
One cool thing I saw libraries doing using Facebook Pages was to document the school librarians’ summer travel adventures by posting pictures of books found in different countries and languages. The librarians visited Istanbul and St. Petersburg and took pictures of books on the school’s summer reading list in the language of the country to have the students guess where they were. Also, this same school uses their library Facebook page to post videos of students giving announcements for the school. They also used it to post pictures from their literacy nights, author visits, and other fun library events.
Cypress Park High School Library
Some school libraries use their Facebook page more as a link to popular authors, book signing events, and general library information and advocacy instead of posting personal photos of their students and library. For example, this school library uses their Facebook Page to share updates and news from popular authors such as Ransom Riggs (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children). They also post author visits throughout the city for students to attend such as Marie Lu’s Wildcard Tour coming up September 19th.
Swenke Elementary School Library
I love how this school librarian uses the school library page as a way to communicate with students, parents, and staff. She posts about meeting everyone at Meet the Teacher night, books that she has read and enjoyed (which she also recommends to teachers for read-alouds), and events that have taken place at the school. She also uses it to advertise for Book Fairs, scholarships available to graduating seniors from Swenke, and Name That Book.
Advantages of using Facebook:
- Keeps track of library events, news, useful information in one place
- Easy for parents and students to return to for reference (concerning dates, book titles, information, etc.)
- Great way to post photos and share them with the school community
- Nice way to share photos and information of author visits for students and parents unable to attend
- Can be a personal way to communicate between librarian and parents
- Quick and easy way to advertise for fundraising events such as book fairs
- Allows for feedback from students and parents on every post
Disadvantages of using Facebook:
- Privacy concerns - some parents will not like their child’s photo being shared publicly, publicly sharing school event information can be seen by anyone
- Need to stay current and post frequently or else you lose the interest of your audience
- Some parents and students are not on Facebook and therefore will not see your posts and feel out of the loop; need to find another way to transmit information to them
- Some parents have very strong feelings about keeping their children off social media and disagree with a decision to use it as a communication tool for students
What I found in my exploration of Ed Tech leaders on Twitter:
After reading just one ed tech leader’s Twitter page, I already feel more “in the loop” with technology for students and teachers! Kathy Schrock (@kathyschrock) posted these helpful tweets just within the last week (wish I would have seen the Office365 post a couple of weeks ago before buying a new subscription for my daughter!):
I am a big fan of @Adobe Photoshop / Premiere Elements. Right now Amazon has the teacher/student boxed PC/Mac version of PSE/PRE 18 for $70.99. Great price for a great product! https://t.co/iySYoEEScK— Kathy Schrock (@kathyschrock) September 3, 2018
If you have a Office 365 Personal subscription, as of 10/2/18 you will now be able to install it on all of your devices and sign in to 5 at a time! #w00t #office365— Kathy Schrock (@kathyschrock) September 1, 2018
New @DiscoveryEd Kathy’s Katch blog post is live for September. “Favorite tools for schools, part 1” https://t.co/9uonjfRwsv— Kathy Schrock (@kathyschrock) September 1, 2018
How to Use the Notification Feature in Google Classroom https://t.co/kG5bBKyhOW pic.twitter.com/xE6FAgqXxa— Jim Lerman (@jimlerman) September 11, 2018
16 Ideas for Student Projects using Google Docs, Slides, and Forms https://t.co/rbaHhqMeWt pic.twitter.com/XoCTBIB1GG— Jim Lerman (@jimlerman) September 2, 2018
I do find having to be directed his separate Scoop.it page and then clicking another link there to be cumbersome, but useful if needing information such as this:
Implementing Media Literacy in Your Classroom https://t.co/Iins0QzjxM pic.twitter.com/ArBCIKHz1K— Jim Lerman (@jimlerman) September 11, 2018
Overall, after perusing several ed tech leader’s twitter pages, I found that I really appreciate those that focus their pages on disseminating ed tech information and links. Some mix quite a bit of personal tweets into their pages and it can be time consuming trying to find useful information. On a personal level, this is fine and fun to get to know these people more, but if following someone for professional purposes it can be distracting.
Meredith,
ReplyDeleteI really like how you compared and contrasted the disadvantages and advantages of using social media to promote literacy! I think if use for educational purposes and following your school's district guidelines it can have a positive impact for the library.
Hey Meredith,
ReplyDeleteI like how you compared the pros and cons of Facebook as well. I agree that it is a great way to keep users up to date upcoming events and what's going on in the library. I do agree with some of the disadvantages as well. It can be hard to reach everyone if they do not follow you on Facebook or use Facebook at all.
Social media is a great way for promoting whats in the library. I agree with you, it can have its positive and negative outcomes. We need social media with so much technology being used today with moderation.
ReplyDelete