Social Media 101 for Parents & Educators

Presenter Amy Gilgenbach

Conference 2013

Why People Use Social Media The Good • To share a message or

information • To connect and interact

with others • For businesses, groups and

organizations, it’s a form of advertising and most of it is free

The Not-So Good • To vent about life, spouse,

job, etc. • To boast about exploits • To cyber stalk or snoop

Some Stats

Pew Internet: Social Networking (full detail) http://pewinternet.org/Commentary/2012/March/Pew-Internet-Social-Networking-full-detail.aspx

More Stats

As of December 2012 – • 15% of online adults say they use Pinterest • 13% of online adults say they use Instagram • 6% of online adults say they use Tumblr • 67% of online adults say they use Facebook • 20% of online adults say they use LinkedIn as. • 18% of online adults are now Twitter users,

roughly doubled from November 2010

Pew Internet: Social Networking (full detail) http://pewinternet.org/Commentary/2012/March/Pew-Internet-Social-Networking-full-detail.aspx

What to Say – The Media is the Message What you communicate depends on which platform you chose. Different platforms call for different types of messages.

• Twitter – short intro and then a link (144 characters). Create/use hashtags to follow topics. A tweet is a shout into a crowded room.

• Facebook – a 1-3 sentence prompt asking for a response or sharing events, links, info, etc. Better for conversations. Has groups, more privacy controls than Twitter.

https://www.facebook.com/WisconsinGifted • Google – like Facebook but for a younger and/or more

techy crowd.

Pictorial Platforms • Pinterest – women, fashion, house DIY • Instagram – younger crowd, celebs • SnapChat – younger crowd • Vine – short videos Message Board, Blogs etc. • Reddit • Tumblr – artsy, younger crowd, celebs Business “Social” Media • LinkedIn, Ladders – For career building.

Pure networking.

Last Word on Platforms

Social media is a changing/evolving field.

Every day there are new ways of communicating.

What to Say: Have a (Lesson) Plan

• Be consistent in what you’re communicating. Think of it as marketing an image or brand.

• Maintain a consistent tone/voice. • To help tailor your tone, consider having

personal (i.e. closer family/friends) accounts separate from school, business or other accounts. Or set privacy controls according.

OK Now … What to Say?

Caution! Common pitfalls

• Some school districts have rules about if/how teachers may interact with students and families on social media platforms. Know the rules and abide by them.

• Oversharing -- inconsistent with the image you want to project. Consider using a group or different profiles to share certain types of info.

• Control your friend list and use available tools to your advantage – i.e. privacy and other controls (mute, hide, etc.).

• Beware of sharing information about others and tagging photos, unless you know you have permission.

Consider Having a Set of Rules • I must know you IRL. • I must see you or want to see you more than once every other year. • You must have a sense of humor and of tolerance. I laugh at your good

jokes and ignore your bad jokes and you return the favor. :) • No spamming allowed. That also means you, WPR! I really don’t need to

read five posts from you in less than 15 minutes. (You can control this.) • If you’re one of my numerous nieces and nephews or one of my underage

friends, please know that I will tell your parents about whatever illegal, stupid or dangerous things you decide to post on FB. (Likewise, my married friends. Don’t be stupid!)

• Politics and controversial issues are o.k. as long as Rule #3 is followed. • If suddenly you find that our “connection has been removed” (un-

friended), don’t take it personally. It just means one of the rules has been broken, either by you or by me. If you see me in person, ask me. I’ll probably tell you why. I’m not shy like that.

Kids’ Use of Social Media • 5 million users under the age of 10 have Facebook profiles • 58% of children on Facebook on between the ages of 13- and 17-

years-old • 6% of kids on Facebook have posted their home address and phone

numbers • The average teen spends an average of 5 hours per day online and

most parents think it’s 3 • 6% of teens on social sites say they share “almost everything” • 51% of kids online say they have been cyber bullied and the biggest

target are girls, ages 16 to 17 years old • Only 33% of parents say they’ve helped their children establish

privacy settings on social networks • 52% of teens say social media helps to strengthen friendships

How Teens Grow Up With Social Media | Letterbox http://mobilesocialwork.wordpress.com/2013/07/26/how-teens-grow-up-with-social-media-letterbox-infographic/

What Kids Say about Social Media

The Benefits • Staying connected to friends • Developing new social

contacts with peers with similar interests

• Sharing content of self-expression such as art work, music and political views

• Developing and expressing your individual identity

The Risks • Bullying online "cyber

bullying" • Sharing too much information • Vulnerability to predatory

adults • Sharing photos or video that

you later regret • Exposure to large amounts of

commercial advertisements which may not be age appropriate

• Risk of identity theft • Reduced amount of time for

physical activity

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Facts_for_Families_Pages/Children_and_Social_Networking_100.aspx

Recommendations for Kid Use • Teach them to keep control of their information by restricting

access to their page • Keep their full name, address, telephone number, social security

number and bank or credit card number to themselves • Post only information they are comfortable with everyone

seeing • Talk to their parents before considering meeting anyone face to

face they have met on line and review the risks involved “Young people need support and education to develop the skills needed to understand the risks and opportunities of social networking sites so talk to your child before they sign up for an account about: • The rules in your household on social networking sites • The monitoring you will do on their internet usage • The limits on time allowed on these sites that may occur if their

usage interferes with family time or external social activities.”

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Facts_for_Families_Pages/Children_and_Social_Networking_100.aspx

Communicating with Kids

• Know that there are some kids who don’t use social media. Plan to communicate with them some other way.

• Choose the appropriate platform. • Understand they’re still kids and will make

mistakes. • Suggestions: observation/supervision,

moderation of comments over which you have control (i.e. in groups) and education about potential ramifications of posts.

How Teachers are Using Social Media

• To find and explore different lesson ideas • To communicate with students • To communicate with parents and students • To connect with other teachers

Respect – Understand that there are boundaries between

personal and professional communications. – Use the appropriate communication tool. – Understand the (unwritten) rules. – Don’t use social media to ask or debate about

your child’s school experience. – Remember, social media is a group setting.

Communicating with Teachers

How Parents are Using Social Media

• Groups for sharing information, asking questions about activities.

• Getting info about parenting, school and other issues

• Finding like-minded friends

Communicating with Parents

Respect – Understand that there are boundaries between

personal and professional communications. – Use the appropriate communication tool. – Understand the (unwritten) rules. – Don’t require the use of social media.

Sources Pew Internet: Social Networking (full detail) http://pewinternet.org/Commentary/2012/March/Pew-Internet-Social-Networking-full-detail.aspx How Teens Grow Up With Social Media | Letterbox http://mobilesocialwork.wordpress.com/2013/07/26/how-teens-grow-up-with-social-media-letterbox-infographic/ The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Facts_for_Families_Pages/Children_and_Social_Networking_100.aspx

Links WATG on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WisconsinGifted WATG on Twitter https://twitter.com/WisconsinGifted