Content Proposal

Content Proposal

Home-School Communication

EMD-665 On Line Course Development

Education Media Design & Technology MS Program

Full Sail University

Prepared by:

Jessica Alvey

January 11, 2010

I. THESIS ABSTRACT

Communication is the foundation to any good relationship. In the classroom teachers have mastered the art of communicating what they expect with students. Students know what is expected in the classroom but communication seems to dissipate the second that the walls of a classroom are not forcing such communication. Parents often want to know what is going on in school but usually get the response of “Nothing”. Leaving the lines of communication between parents, teachers and students open continually allows for clearer understanding of assignments and expectations. New innovations in technology allow for all with access to the Internet to connect and collaborate. Teachers need to grasp the great benefits of communicating with students outside of the classroom using technology. Using websites and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter students have access to communication twenty-four hours a day. Immediate responses will not always occur but the lines of communication are open and flowing.

II. Introduction

Problem Addressed

Communication is the key to any success, especially in education. Teachers and parents are always looking for the most effective ways of communicating. In the 21^st century there are tons of ways to communicate. From cell phones with internet to free wireless Internet everywhere, getting in touch with a person is always easy. Email, Facebook, Twitter all now provide instant communication with Smartphones. The skill of communicating with parents looks completely different, no longer are hand written notes the best way to keep parents informed. The Internet and Web 2.0 resources are more conducive to the instant communication world.

Due to the recent newness of instant communication many teachers, parents and even students are unsure about how to use this new technology for proper communication. No longer is the Internet just for social networking but also for providing information to the masses. This media project will illustrate about the do’s and don’ts of using Social Networking sites for communication between teachers, students and parents.

Target Audience

This project is designed for teachers, parents, and students above 6^th grade. Many social networking sites provide more dangers than benefits for students under 6^th grade.

Sharing the project

This media project will be shared through Udutu. A course will be created for parents, teachers and students that will instruct them on the does and don’t s when it comes to communication through Web 2.0. This course will be designed to be taken at the start of a school year before communication commences through Web 2.0.

III. Goals and Objectives

.

Instructional Goal

The subject of this media project is to provide basic knowledge of proper communication when working in a professional environment on the Internet. The target audience can be put into three groups: those who use social networking sites for social happenings; Those who haven’t ever used social networking sites; and those who use social networking for both social and professional endeavors. All of these groups need some level of instruction on how to properly communicate using Web 2.0.

The main outcome of this Udutu lesson is for parents, teachers and students to all be on the same page as to what is acceptable and what is not acceptable communication.

Learning Domain

The learning domains of this project are two fold. First, the cognitive domain includes the learner as the knowledge of proper communication is gained. Second, the affective domain is impacted because the perception of Social Networking sites is not always the best. Some adults see social networking as a inappropriate for a school setting and many students feel that social networking is simply for social aspects.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to evaluate scenarios for proper communication.

Students will be able to create a social networking profile and group for school use.

Students will be able to assess the value of using social networking for home-school communication.

IV. Presentation

Instructional Approach

For this unit I am taking a multimedia approach. The lesson will be a combination of video, interactive scenarios and instructional text.

Call Miller and Schallenkamp (2007) suggest that the student has the power when it come to learning. If the student communicates with the teacher than they will be more likely to buy into the information that is being taught. Students often feel intimidated when they have to walk into a teachers office, stay after class to ask a question or even asking a question in class. The Internet provides a less intimidating situation for students to communicate with a teacher. Quick questions can be asked any time of the day and a response can be given at any time. However, the key to communication through Web 2.0 resources is that parents, teachers and students need to be diligent about checking to see if there is communication waiting.

When it comes to home-school communication Epstein (2002) tells the importance of making sure that teachers and parents are working together to provide the best education for their child. Students learn best when teacher and parents know what is going on in the other realms of the student’s life. A quick simple message back and forth provides this information.

While communication is key to success, setting up perimeters for such communication is essential. Teachers should not be required to sit by the computer day and night waiting for a question. Along the same lines teachers, students and parents need to know the privacy setting for the social network site that is being used. Timm and Duven (2008) explored the different social networking sites and the privacy notices that each holds.

Lesson Structure

The unit will begin by dividing the learners into groups of students, teacher and parents. Allowing for specific examples that apply to the different groups. The topics will be the same for every group but will be tailored just a bit to fit the audience. The lesson will begin with explaining the importance of communication and talk about proper ways to simply communicate with a professional. The learners will explore different scenarios and decide what the proper action to take would be.

The learners will continue from the learning about proper communication to learning netiquette and applying it to conversations with professionals.

The last stage of the unit will be creating a usable profile. This section will provide the learner with specific elements to have and not to have on a profile. Stressing the point that a personal social profile would not be sufficient for this purpose.

V. Evaluation

There will be on going formative assessment throughout the Udutu course. Scenarios will be introduced and solutions will be chosen. The learner will be given further instruction according to the response to the scenario.

There will also be a summative assessment at the end of the unit. Students will be require to get an 80 percent or higher to pass and be allowed to create a profile that will be used for home-school communication. The last question of the summative assessment is an agreement to use proper communication.

Just as technology and social networking sites are changing this Udutu course will change with times as well. As students, teachers and parents develop the knowledge, skills and attitude for successful communication through Web 2.0 resources the needs of the course will change.

Teachers will evaluate the course to insure that it has all the components that they feel are necessary.

have you conducted during the development process as well as after implementation?

Ongoing evaluation - Figure out what learners should get out of the media project you created, determine how you’ll know whether or not they were successful and then decide what should be the next step to improve the media project.

VI. References

Baumbach, D. (2009). Web 2.0 & YOU. Knowledge Quest, 37(4), 12-19. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

Catt, S., Miller, D., & Schallenkamp, K. (2007, Spring). You are the key: Communicate for learning effectiveness. Education, 127(3), 369-377. Retrieved August 30, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Epstein, J.(2002). School, family and community partnerships: Your handbook for action. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

Fan, X., & Chen, M. (2001). Parental involvement and students' academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 13(1), 1-22. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

Jensen, D. (2006). Using newsletters to create home-school connections. Reading Teacher, 60(2), 186-190. doi:10.1598/RT.60.2.8.

Jeynes, W. (2005). Effects of Parental Involvement and Family Structure on the Academic Achievement of Adolescents. Marriage & Family Review, 37(3), 99-116. doi:10.1 300/J002v37n03&#x033106.

Keller, B. (2008). Schools Seek to Channel Parent Involvement. Education Digest, 74(1), 11-15. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

Rapleaf Study Reveals Gender and Age Data of Social Network Users. (2008, June 18). Rapleaf – Social Networking Data Append, Social Insight. Retrieved November 21, 2009, from http://www.rapleaf.com/business/press_release/age

Sheer, V., & Fung, T. (2007). Can email communication enhance professor-student relationship and student evaluation of professor?: Some empirical evidence. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 37(3), 289-306. doi:10.2190/EC.37.3.d.

Timm, D., & Duven, C. (2008, Winter2008). Privacy and social networking sites. New directions for student services, Retrieved May 30, 2009, doi:10.1002/ss.297

Watkins, T. (1997). Teacher communications, child achievement, and parent traits in parent involvement models. Journal of Educational Research, 91(1), 3. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.