One school is having a problem blocking facebook. A number of schools in our area want to use facebook. Do you use facebook? Do you think it is a good tool to use in a classroom? Most schools are combining several classes now into one building. If facebook is allowed for 7th and 8th grade students, it may be available for 5th and 6th (or even younger) also.
Sometimes the way a network in the school is setup, is so that all students have access to the same sites. There is a way to break them down so that a certain range can view facebook, and a certain range cannot. But, you need a savvy tech person to do that.
Some schools do not have that. Some are so overwhelmed that they find it easier to just say "no" to facebook than to tweak the network to control it. And, who in the school district makes the decision as to whether a site is blocked or not? Do you know who does this in your school district? Do you think there is a committee that sits down and decides this? Think again. Mostly it is one person. If that person does not understand or use facebook themselves, forget it. If there are enough teachers who want to use the program, they can take it to the Administration and it can be overruled, I guess.
I have heard this conversation many times over the past 15 years I have worked in technology in the schools. The tech person in a district gets very little respect or empathy from the Administration. This in turn causes the tech person to have a chip on their shoulder. They get to feeling overwhelmed. Very few Administration personnel understand technology or what it entails to run a network. Many think that the tech person just sits around and plays on the computer all day. They do not have a clue what he or she does and what knowledge and trial and error it takes to accomplish the job. The tech becomes burnt out and angry over time and when a decision such as "should we allow facebook in the classroom" comes up, the tech says "No! It is too much of a hassle and my plate is too full as it is!" End of story. Period.
I have heard this conversation many times over the past 15 years I have worked in technology in the schools. The tech person in a district gets very little respect or empathy from the Administration. This in turn causes the tech person to have a chip on their shoulder. They get to feeling overwhelmed. Very few Administration personnel understand technology or what it entails to run a network. Many think that the tech person just sits around and plays on the computer all day. They do not have a clue what he or she does and what knowledge and trial and error it takes to accomplish the job. The tech becomes burnt out and angry over time and when a decision such as "should we allow facebook in the classroom" comes up, the tech says "No! It is too much of a hassle and my plate is too full as it is!" End of story. Period.
The teacher. Does your child have a tech savvy teacher or does your child have a teacher who never turns the computer on in the classroom? I had one superintendent (still working in the school district) that told me the only technological device he uses is the remote control on his television at home. He told an employee that he didn't care about technology, he was only putting his 3 more years in to pad his retirement. Ouch. I feel really sorry for anybody who has a child in this school district.
7 comments:
Interesting post. We have NO access to facebook, yahoo mail, google mail, playlist, etc. etc. Anytime ANYONE discovers a way to listen to music, play a game, or socialize, it is blocked by the next day. Our school's policy is to block ANY site that is not specifically academically related. The kids spend more time TRYING to circumvent the system, just to be able to do that, than to just use the acceptable use sites. Our tech person is AWESOME. I love her, and feel for her. Her job is one of the toughest in the school. She is willing to do anything technological for anyone who treats her, and her job, with respect. You know how they always tell you to stay on the good side of the janitors and secretaries? I've made it my mission in life to ALWAYS be my tech director's best friend, because she can and will protect me from any idiot errors I might make. And I make many! Good post.
I use Facebook, but I don't see the value of having it in the classroom. However, many of our local schools are lifting the total ban on cell phones, allowing students to use them during lunch or free periods. So at those times they are going to access Facebook on their phones.
Every time I see that picture you posted or go to log in at facebook, it looks like baby bottle nipples instead of people.
Dog Hair - this post has made me research the facebook dilemma even more than I expected to. I will probably document my findings and hand them out at my next technology meeting and hopefully one or two techs will read it and perhaps see if there is any benefit to opening up facebook for their district.
Grumpy - cell phones. Whew! Another dilemma in the schools. I'm not sure I would want to be an Administrator during these technological times.
Cheyenne - Why thank you SO much for that image! Now, that is ALL I see, too! LOL!
You're welcome!
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