School wide online questionnaire looking into various issues including how students use social networking, how they are involved in anti social behaviour, and cyber bullyingWe expect to analyse how the patterns of social networking use are linked to various anti social behaviourWe have also carried out a focused study of social network analysis on a small group of students to identify their social network structures and how networks are linked to anti social behaviourWe believe these are useful to understand how the use of internet tool can potentially empower students to address anti social behaviour
School wide online questionnaire looking into various issues including how students use social networking, how they are involved in anti social behaviour, and cyber bullyingWe expect to analyse how the patterns of social networking use are linked to various anti social behaviourWe have also carried out a focused study of social network analysis on a small group of students to identify their social network structures and how networks are linked to anti social behaviourWe believe these are useful to understand how the use of internet tool can potentially empower students to address anti social behaviour
This was a comprehensive three day social reporting course run by the University of Kent in association with the New Line Learning Academy and Kent County Council. The project was run by Jane Milton, a lecturer in Film & Video Production, Helen Curston, a freelance journalist and UKC technician Paul Sinnock. During the three days, we were also supported by Kyle Dale, one of the school’s computer technicians. Ten to twelve students were taught the multi-skills necessary to become ‘social reporters’. These included how to shoot on DV (digital video), interview techniques, still photographs (conventions & considerations), storyboarding, scripting, the use of social networking sites, blogging, sound, consent & risk assessment forms, legal and copyright issues and creating a web page. Other learning objectives were to develop an ongoing dialogue between young people and the local communities, with particular reference to anti-social behaviour. In collaboration with the Academy, the pupils were split into teams and filmed five stories over the three days. These included the local OAP Christmas party at the Academy, the vandalism of the school bus (which included a response from the Head teacher) and the local toddler and parent book club in a community cafe. Kyle created a shared site for the students to work on and this was to be shared with the school. Since the training, the students have reported on other local stories and many are keen to continue their roles as ‘social reporters’ for the Academy.
Collaboration: Value of an outward facing school which is trying to establish a strong relationship with the communities from which it draws its pupils - the potential for strong partnership working and the accessibility to both a large number of young people and to the resources that schools will have are so useful as are staff who are willing to own a project - the school provided such a useful structure for this project.Enthusiasm: Ability of children and young people to respond very quickly to opportunities which are trying to give them a voice, to influence / shape the context of their day to day world - also their capacity to meet technical challenges very quickly.Ownership: Importance of community safety (of feeling safe) for children and young people - was clear that many in the group did not feel safe
Children and young people want to be associated with success and a school which has a poor image can be very demoralising - they will want to invest in efforts to achieve positive change Communication via social networking sites with children and young people can be rewarding and provide a very real appraisal of what it is like to be part of a distinct community