Slides from NYSCATE (New York State Association for Computing and Technologies in Education) Annual Conference 2013 presentation on social media in public schools.

1. Social Media:
School & Community
Engagement
NYSCATE 2013
http://goo.gl/b32j1w
Chris Casal
PS 10 - Brooklyn, NY
@mr_casal

2. Introduction
● Chris
○
○
○
○
○
computer teacher
technology coordinator
Google Apps & iPad geek
@mr_casal & @PS10Tech
http://about.me/mrcasal
● PS 10
○
○
○
○
○
K-5 public school
GAFE
iPads for teachers
Technology is a big focus
@PS10Brooklyn

3. Our Two-pronged Approach
● Make technology useful & seamlessly
integrated for staff benefit
○ Google Apps - email, Docs, sites, blogs, etc
○ iPads integrated for mobility & efficiency
● Make technology useful & seamlessly
integrated for student/parent/community
benefit
○
○
○
○
Facebook & Twitter
SchoolMessenger
Google Apps
Skype/Hangouts

4. Teachers
● GAFE better than DOE Outlook
○ more space, custom groups, lists, etc
● Share lessons & curriculum maps via Drive
● Dropbox for other files - those that don’t play
nice with Drive
● “TechHelp”
○ online form to submit requests for in-house computer
assistance
● iMac, MacBook in every room
● Every teacher has an iPad
● All aspects integrated & supported

5. Why does teacher tech matter?
Access, Comfort & Familiarity
● If a teacher doesn’t have a device...
● If a teacher doesn’t isn’t comfortable with
using technology...
● If a teacher hasn’t made an intimate
connection with how best to use it for them...

6. Why does teacher tech matter?
● If teachers aren’t constant, authentic users
of technology, aren’t engaged themselves,
technology & social media will never work to
engage others...

7. Why does teacher tech matter?
Teachers are the social
media ambassadors of the
school community

8. Community
● Website
○ ps10.org
■ collaborative between PTA & staff
■ staff directory of email & class sites
■ Calendar, event notices, pictures
● Twitter
○ @PS10Brooklyn
● Facebook
○ PS 10 Brooklyn

9. Social Media
● Big push
● Many staff members active
○ https://twitter.com/PS10Brooklyn/lists/staff
● Hashtags
○ #ps10bk - general
○ #ps10sw - student work
○ #ps10st - student tweets
● TagBoards
○
○
○
○
http://tagboard.com/ps10bk
http://tagboard.com/ps10sw
http://tagboard.com/ps10st
Parents use hashtags during school-wide events

10. Why Twitter?
● Twitter was new to all
○ sometimes it’s easier to teach a new thing than a
familiar thing a new way
● Easy to keep “personal” and “professional”
separate
○ no one had a personal account
● It’s a quick, easy to use broadcast platform
not requiring viewers to have an account

11. Parent reaching out...
both A.P. & I respond
Making personal
connections before Open
School Night

12. Showcasing teachers
continual learning...
Colleagues supporting
colleagues...

13. Parents engaging through technology & social media

14. Our City Councilman tweeting appreciation for our PTA the full community, beyond just the “school community”

15. The Paperwork
● Boilerplate NYCDOE “photo consent form”
○ start-of-year packet
○ covers a wide variety of media type & use
● Classroom teachers know parent comfort
● Clusters are informed
○ master list readily available
You don’t need to show faces to show
successes & engage families

16. Tying the two together
● Make technology natural, meaningful, and
impactful for teachers & they’ll use it
● Class web pages, blogs & twitter feeds
easily meet Common Core & NYS Teacher
Evaluation standards - all considered “social
media”
● Engage parents through technology & limit
the “I didn’t know” moments

17. Looking forward...
● Skype & Google Hangouts
○ virtual field trips & author visits
● Google Hangouts
○ PTA meetings, Curriculum Nights
● Independent Student blogs/digital portfolios
● Pushing the envelope & always trying new
things...

18. Roadmap for Social media...
● Pick a platform
● Build a framework
○ be flexible & adventurous
● Let teachers be your ambassadors
○ trust
● Support & encourage engagement
Communications & community are built, most
solidly, when the methods are natural &
useful...

19. Contact
Chris Casal
@mr_casal
ccasal@ps10.org
about.me/mrcasal
Presentation:
http://goo.gl/b32j1w
Additional resources:
http://www.slideshare.net/mr_casal