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John RicardTRETC 2012
USING SOCIAL NETWORKING TO TRANSFORM YOUR CLASS
INTO A LEARNING COMMUNITY
What is a social network?What are some strategies to help apply a social
network to my course?What are some eff ective procedures that will help
adopt a social network effi ciently?
OBJECTIVES
INTRODUCTION
Currently teaching: Latin AP Art History AP European History At Somerset Academy in Pembroke Pines, FL
Created Romae.org – Classical Languages and Studies network
Created RicardAcademy.info – network and ancillary tool for “non-Latin” subjects
Contributor on AFireKindled.com – focuses on integrating education with technology
BA in Art History MA in Classics
OVERVIEW
Not a lectureAn interactive
workshopLearn by doing!
Agere non modo putare!
Applies to any subject
HAVE QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? JOIN AND POST THEM!
AFireKindled.com/Community Look for confirmation email when registering
Join Group: Educational Technology Roundtable Post in Forum: Using Social Networking to Transform
Your Class into a Learning Community
Redefining Learning
WHAT IS A SOCIAL NETWORK?
Social networking is a way to connect and share ideas Offers ways to collect, curate, and collaborate with
contentSome examples are Facebook, Google+, Twitter,
WHAT IS A SOCIAL NETWORK?
WHY SOCIAL NETWORKING?
Wanted to find a way to use the technologies my students are familiar with Further engage students Make courses relevant Create an easy, fun environment for learning Easy access to assignments, information Accountability
PROBLEMS WITH SOCIAL NETWORKING
Stresses “social” behaviorsFacebook, Google+
Too many distractions Blurs line between personal/academic Blocked on most campuses
Twitter Limited to 140 characters Can only collect content online (limited curation and
collaboration) Blocked on most campuses
Need to adapt social networks into “learning communities” The technology provides a template for both teachers and
students to follow Teachers = technology immigrants Students = technology natives
PROBLEMS WITH SOCIAL NETWORKING
Focuses on a particular subjectAllows collaboration within a community of learners
Social networks are for “socializing” Learning communities are geared towards learning
WHAT DO YOU MEAN “LEARNING COMMUNITY”?
5 C’S OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
Every Learning Community should have these capabilities Collect – resources that collect content Curate – resources that maintain and update content; also
reinforce concepts learned in class Create – resources that help create content Collaborate – resources that allow collaboration using
content Communicate – resources that help communicate about
content
CASE STUDIESHow I adapted social networking technology
Romae.org/AmicitiaSocial network for Romae.orgAllows members to interact and form
learning communities
SOLUTION: BUILD A SOCIAL NETWORK
RicardAcademy.infoSolution for my “non-Latin” courses
SOLUTION: BUILD A SOCIAL NETWORK
FEATURES OVERVIEW: ACTIVITY
Activity – shows site-wide activity Great way to see who has been active Helpful for students to find others and collaborate, review
together
FEATURES OVERVIEW: GROUPS
Groups – allows for diff erent courses to have their own spaces, discussions, etc. Allows students to form networks with one another May foster friendly competition (year to year!)
FEATURES OVERVIEW: MEMBERS
Members – easily find other members on the network Find “study-buddies”, partners for collaborative
assignments, group projects
FEATURES OVERVIEW: SITES
Sites – easily find your course’s main site Assignment updates, announcements, resources for
projects, etc. Creates accountability for BOTH students and teachers
FEATURES: GROUPS
Groups – where the main “action” happens
Group Features: Documents Post exclusive documents for group members to share
FEATURES: GROUPS
Group Features: Forum Used for discussions between group members
FEATURES: GROUPS
Group Features: Docs Creates a collaborative workspace for group members
FEATURES: GROUPS
Group Features: Members Form connections between various group members Follow their activity on the network
FEATURES: GROUPS
Group Features: Send Invites Allows members of a group to invite other
members to join the group
FEATURES: GROUPS
Group Features: Send Email Allows members to send communication outside the
network
FEATURES: GROUPS
WHY SOCIAL NETWORKING?
Using a social network I can: Collect new content for my course Curate and update content myself or via my students Create new content, assignments, projects Collaborate with my students in a thriving learning
community Communicate with others about assignment dates, project
obstacles, etc.Gives me all solutions in one place
Accessible from anywhere on “the cloud”
What’s next?
STRATEGIES AND TIPS
STRATEGIES AND TIPS
Form a learning community that is interactive! Be consistent! Keep them coming back!
Monitor student activity E.g. use @username to directly “ping” a student – like
TwitterUpload and share important documents with your
class Syllabus, rubrics, study guides
Create events and announcements routinely Field trips, test dates, etc.
Create discussions that are open-ended, enriching, interesting!
Try “non-traditional” activities Minecraft Romae
STRATEGIES AND TIPS
Keep assessments simple Grade based on completion Encourage students to use the resource to help them learn,
not make it the basis of their learningWhen students create accounts, have a procedure to
be able to easily identify their usernames
I built my sites using open source software Wordpress extended with Buddypress
Building your own site takes time, patience, and experience Lots of work and “frontloading”
Find a solution that will make your life easier and that is scalable
STRATEGIES AND TIPS
How?SOLUTIONS
IMPLEMENTATION
Technology is supposed to make life EASIERFind ONE resource and use it to make your life EASIERUse it to make your class more exciting, more
relevant!Lots of FREE options!
Keep it going! What ideas do you have?
CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION
CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION
AFireKindled.com - online publication for integrating technology with education AFireKindled.com/Community
Look for confirmation email when registering Join Group: Educational Technology Roundtable Post in the group forum
CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION
Interested in having your own site/social network?Contact me:
[email protected] or visit JohnRicard.info Twitter: @johnricard or @magisterricard (see how I use
Twitter for my classes)Read:
AFireKindled.comSites/Projects:
RicardAcademy.info Romae.org
