Twitter for Parents

As student engagement in social media continues to become a common activity, it is important that parents understand both how and why students and schools are engaging. Here is a quick guide for parents to begin the process of understanding the engagement, using Twitter as an example. Why Twitter? Many parents are already on Facebook. So the kids have "flown" away. To Twitter!

What is Twitter? 

 Twitter defines itself as " an information network made up of 140-character messages called Tweets. It's an easy way to discover the latest news related to subjects you care about."
The best way to obtain a basic understanding of a social media tool is to visit the help or FAQ page.

FAQ Link

On Twitter's FAQ page, there is a "Twitter 101: Getting Started with Twitter"   which provides such details as how to start using, what Twitter could be used for and tricks and tools to get started. Important concepts include the use of #hashtags and finding people you wish to follow. The Blog post "Mom, This is How Twitter Works" details how tweets appear visually based upon how the tweet is constructed.

How Twitter is being used in Education

Teachers, administrators and school board members are using Twitter to build Professional Learning Networks (PLN).  Some in the form of organized "chats" (see #MichEd); discussions and reactions to presentations and conferences (see #MACUL13); model best practices (@Miech25); conduct exam reviews in a trivia format (@MichaelCesaro);  send homework reminders (@msburnsAHSmath); praise students for work well done (@msburnsAHSmath, @kathybarraco); resource sharing (@AHSmuskrats); news and updates (@algonacsports) social connections and much more.

Here is a great presentation from Scott Kapala (@scott_kapla), Assistant Principal at St. Clair Shores Lakeview, regarding the use of Twitter as an tool in Education.

   

Twitter recommendations for high school parents

Twitter can be a great tool to help your high school student navigate through the college and career ready process. There are several blogs, organizations and education related Twitter feeds that may be useful. I suggest you start with the following:

@nytimescollege: New York Times journalist Tanya Abrams of The Choice Blog offers regular updates here on the college admissions process http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/

@caraleeadams: Free lance writer who writes a blog "College Bound" for Education Week.

@ahsmuskrats: daily announcements, sports updates, school points of pride 

Your Child's Digital Footprint

From the time your child begins to participate in social media they are creating a trail, or story, of their online self. From a developmental perspective, children, even many high school students, have not yet achieved the level of cognitive development that allows them to truly comprehend how current behavior has long term consequences. Why does this matter? Consider the following:

• According to the Wall Street Journal, some companies are asking applicants  to submit a "Tweet" in place of a traditional resume: The New Resume: It's 140 Characters
• College Admissions Using Social Media to Evaluate Applicants
• Want a Scholarship? Better Clean Up Your Facebook and Twitter.

Important points to remember: privacy settings are continuously being updated and changed by social media corporations. Failure to stay on top of the changes results in even the most locked down of accounts being open, at least for a while. And once it's posted, it doesn't go away because you have hit delete. Everything that posts has a "capture" in time.

What's Your Responsibility?

Every family needs to determine how they will handle minors engaged in social media but here are some suggestions:

1. Abide by the rules of the social media tool to enforce good digital citizenship. Right now most require 13 years of age. That is possibly changing in the near future, but in the meantime showing children how to operate within required limitations is an important concept.
2. Engage with your child. This can be accomplished either by requiring usernames and passwords be shared with you or by "friending" or "following" your child
3. Discuss posts, name choices that you see and why you are concerned. Often great conversations emerge from these learning moments.
4. For more information and ideas see the Educaton.com article A Parent's Guide to Twitter.

Conclusion

Your children are connected in a way that most of us never imagined at their age. Their tech-savvy nature can be intimidating. Have them help you as you travel this new path. They love being the "experts".  However, just because they're the "experts" doesn't make them the parent! Be brave. Join them.