Jen Hegna is making the case for Facebook

Facebook is distracting my personal time with learning. Jen Hegna

My friend and colleague Jen Hegna over in the Byron schools has a great post "Making the Case for Facebook" on her Grin and Bear I.T. blog.

Jen writes:

Facebook ... is blocked for students and staff in my district. In my own personal use of the tool, I am now recognizing that work and personal information are blurring. I subscribe to many educational Fan Pages, Groups, and have had some fantastic discussions with folks all over the world via Facebook! ...  I decided I had to do something to start a conversation in my own district to consider opening Facebook to staff and students. If I were an innovative and talented teacher, who had a couple of job offers on the table:

• District A: Great school district, great community, great kids, BLOCKS social media tools like Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook from staff and students.
• District B: Great school district, great community, great kids, social media is OPEN to staff and students and teachers are encouraged to find educational use of the tool that all kids are using anyway.

Which one I would choose? To me its easy.   Sure, there may be those who would much prefer District A – but for district leaders – who do you want in your talent pool?

I'll not steal Jen's thunder by repeating her post here - go read the original and watch her slideshow (and subscribe to her blog). But reading the post made me think of some things:

1. Even if one is the tech "director" in a district, one still needs to get buy in from fellow staff members. Jen's collaborative style of approaching this issue - through education and persuasion - creates a healthy attitude toward technology in a district. Change, light losing weight, is probably more permanent when done slowly and deliberately. 
2. Having a personal vision of education is vital. Jen's personal vision shines through. That vision, combined with actual steps toward moving other toward it, make a dynamite combination. How many educators have enough energy to whine about a policy, but don't go beyond complaining?
3. As Jen admits, her efforts have not yet been successful. But she, like anyone who has ever tried to create change, knows that is persistance, not brilliance, that gets things done.  Thanks goodness.

Thanks for sharing you efforts, Jen, and good luck. See you on Facebook!

Comments

[J.]

I hate to sound cynical, but most school leadership doesn't want passionate people like Jen stretching and pushing the limits of what technology can do in education. They want obedience.

Personally, I despise Facebook and have opted out of that entire sub-culture. But I would never support a blanket policy preventing another from using it in a meaningful way.

[Doug Johnson]

Hi J,

I've run into the admins who don't like change as well, but also those who do get excited about new things so I can't really make a blanket statement. I have to tell you that when one of my people (librarians, techs, computer coordinators, etc.) come up with a new proposal or idea, I celebrate!

Doug

[KJ]

I certainly agree with Jenn and some of the other posters here. There is certainly a place for meaningful Facebook (and other social network) use in education. As mentioned the students are already using these forums and it would be better to embrace it and show them the proper way to use these communication tools responsibly and effectively. As was mentioned Facebook can be a great place to locate useful information and then have meaningful discussions regarding found information. Rather than ban students and staff from a site all together, find a way to make it useful for a school to use communicate openly with one another. There is certainly a way in which Facebook could be used effectively in an educational setting. It is something which should be embraced rather than blocked completely.