Chapter 9Communication in an Electronic Era

Presented by

Kelly Szymborksi, Yo Derni, Agatha Miller, Angelica Thomson, Kristin Daily and Derick Watkins

The Resistor, The Dabbler and The Avant Garde

The ResistorIndividuals who ignore technological advances are reassigned throughout the school systemTypically veteran administratorsBelieve that communication that worked in the past should work nowMost effective way to communicate: face-to-face, telephone conversation, handwritten/typed notes

– Avoid miscommunication– Avoid misreading the tone of the information– Avoids creating a wedge between people

Technology makes communication worse and less genuine

The DabblerEducational leader interested in electronics but have trouble keeping up with and effectively utilizing itAcross age brackets and leadership positionsUse some technologies (wifi, cell phones, etc.) but don’t understand how to incorporate the multitude of technologies availableBelieve technology has improved communication but skeptical overuse technology

The Avant-GardeEducational leader who uses cutting edge technology and stays up-to-date with newest technologyAcceleratingfuture.com

– Near-future technologiesBelieve technology advancements improve their school-community relations to meet the needs of stakeholders, both internally and externally (Fiore, 2011) 1-2

Electronic Communication Devices

89% of high schools students have access to Internet-connected smart phones 50% of students in grades 3 through 5 have access to the same type of devices

While at home, 64% of students surveyed identify 3G- or 4G-enabled devices as their primary means of connecting to the Internet, with another 23 percent saying they connect through an Internet-enabled TV or Wii console.

60% of students are using mobile devices for anytime research 71% of teachers agreed that today’s digital technologies discourage students from finding and using a wide range of resources for their research.

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Students who said they owned a laptop or smartphone increased by grade level, but younger students were most likely to say they owned a tablet, at a rate of 51% among elementary students and 52% among middle school students, but just 36% among high school students

76% of teachers say, “Search engines have conditioned students to expect to be able to find information quickly and easily”.60% of mobile users expect a website to load in less than 3 seconds.

43% percent for educational gamesMore than 1.5 million apps are available in the Apple App Store and Google Play

Electronic Communication Devices -cont.

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Communicating via Email

247 billion e-mails are sent each day. That is one e-mail every 0.00000035 secondsBy the time you are done reading this sentence, some 20 million e-mails entered cyberspaceEvery second, the world’s email users produce messages equivalent in size to over 16,000 copies of the Complete Works of Shakespeare

Internet Sources:

•THE Journal•The Pew Research Center•Ed Tech Review

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Using E-Mail Externally

Communicating with external stakeholders (parents, community stakeholders)

Advantages– Teacher-parent communication

• Extending learning to the home• Open lines of communication

– Students• Writing/typing experience

– Teachers– Pen-pals across the globe

– Primary use is to inform • Convenience of time• No expectation of a response

Use with caution– Should not be used in circumstances where more communicative “effort” is more appropriate– Used for non-essential information that are least likely to be misinterpreted– Anything on “paper” is subject to personnel or student record

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Using E-Mail Internally

Communicating with internal stakeholders (administration, faculty and staff)

Advantages– Implication to budget - Cut cost of paper– Address a single person, or a group of people – Communicating important information at any time of day (outside school hours)

Practical Application– List of recipients tailored to meet certain needs

• Whole school• English Department• Grade level chairs

ApplicationsInform staff of meetings and agendasShare information about new researchUpdates from VDOEFollow-up from a previous meeting with staffSchool newslettersParent connections – helpful tipsCommunity fundraisers

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Proceed cautiously with E-mail

Email flaws and “imperfections” •recognized as the most used form of on line communication •school districts focuses their efforts on the security issues

Schools set up their own system for internal e-mail

•in an effort to avoid viruses to spread through emails •destroy the computer infrastructure as well as inappropriate messages.

Other considerations:•Content of the email delivered to unwanted people- the power of forwarding an email •Sending an email before proofreading•When dealing with a high number of people and setting , a mass email could be sent

•Activity 1: E-mail etiquette •Activity 2: Identify the errors, what happened •Video- Dr. Nancy Siebring

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Activity 1: E-mail etiquette

Example #1

From: Jones, ChrysTo: English Department-Everyone CC:Subject:Importance: High

I need to speak to someone from your department.

Chrys JonesAssistant Principal Armstrong High School ph: (317) 555-1234 x42fax: (317) 555-4321

Reflection:

What do you think ? What elements are missing?

Proceed cautiously with E-mail- cont.

3. From: Jones, MikeTo: Brady, WillowCc: Pratt, William; Giles, MillerSubject: RE: Synergy Training

Wow, Willow, these guys must be real boneheads if they still don’t get this program. I’ll forward you some instructions so you can add it into your slides.

Mike JonesComputer/ Technology Teacher - IT Department Salem High School ph: (317) 555-1234 x42

________________________________________2. From: Brady, Willow To: Pratt, WilliamCc: Giles, Miller; Jones, MikeSubject: Synergy Training

Good afternoon William, Per our conversation, I will have the slides ready with the new sections we touched base on, by the end of the week. Best regards,

Willow Brady Media Specialist Salem High School (317) 240-4100 ext 1337

________________________________________

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1. From: Pratt, WilliamTo: Brady, WillowCc: Giles, MillerSubject: Synergy Training

Hi Willow,I would like to add two more sections to the Synergy Training, to assure everyone's understanding. Please come see me after school.

William PrattAssistant Principal Salem High School (317) 666-4628(317) 666-1337 fax

Proceed cautiously with E-mail- cont.Activity 2:

Reflection:

•Never include statements in your emails that could be identified as attacks or offensive. •Remember to be careful about what you say•READ YOUR EMAIL BEFORE CLICK ON “SEND”

Thoughts? Questions?

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Proceed cautiously with E-mail- cont.

The Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)

What is it?AUPs are rules, regulations and standards governing the appropriate use of electronic communications and information gathering.They provide a protection shield to users of the districts technology services.

Who needs it?AUPs are necessary for all schools in this modern era.AUPs and email security are essential for leaders to protect the students and ensure safety from online threats and keep hardware safe from viruses and other threats.Leader should provide all stakeholders with professional development for technology use.

How do you develop an AUP?Customize an AUP to meet the needs of your individual school.

Develop Your School's Acceptable Use Policy

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Using Technology for Instructional Purposes

Distance Learning (i.e. Blackboard)

View Instructional contentCollaborate with educatorsEvaluate academic performanceAchieve their educational objectives

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Using Technology for Instructional Purposes

The Smart Board

Integrate digital information into teaching, presenting and brainstormingEasily connect to tools present in the classroomCreates the ability to write notes, insert diagrams, link to websites, and to save work for future use

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The End!

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