Social Media Policies for CPS

It is difficult to propose a list of policies that my school district might incorporate without having input from others in the district.  I know that there are many in the district who are not fond of, or do not understand the nature of, social media use in the classroom, so it would be beneficial to have them present for discussion.  Obviously, this is a suggested list, not actual policy implementation, but I wanted to share this notion before beginning my list.

Also, last year I served on our district technology committee, and at a meeting, one of our school board members expressed an extreme distaste for Facebook and suggested that we develop a "Facebook policy".  While I'm assuming that this insinuated banning Facebook, I also realize that his desire to create a policy regulating just one social media platform indicates that he does not truly understand the nature of social media and all of its capabilities in the classroom.  I think the development of these policies as guidelines could serve as a great way to start the discussion with school board members, administrators, staff, students, and parents in what kind of policy the district really needs to adopt.

With all of that said, here is my list of social media policies:

1.  Make social media use purposeful.  Identify clear objectives and expectations for student outcomes, so that it is clear to students the role they are expected to take in social network learning.
2. Staff members must engage in at least three hours of professional development in an online learning community each school year.  If staff members are not utilizing social media themselves, it is difficult for them to stay up-to-date on current trends and policies of various social media sites.  Using social media by engaging in professional development is an effective way to introduce new users to various platforms, and for experienced users to stay on top of changes.
3. Always check the privacy settings of class and student accounts to be sure that student privacy is being upheld.  Check settings periodically, not just upon account set-up.
4. Obtain permission from parents explicitly for posting student photos online (The current CPS AUP gives parents the option to deny the school from posting student photos to print publications, and it assumes online as well, but does not explicitly state for online use.  It is better to be safe than sorry!). 
5. Obtain permission from parents the level at which their student may collaborate online.  Some parents may be more comfortable with their student participating with the use of a screen name or pseudonym. 
6. Invite parents to participate in social network groups created for the class.  If parents are included in online discussions, they are able to see how their children are interacting with others online in a safe and beneficial manner.
7. Give credit or attribution to sources in the appropriate fashion.  Always respect copyright laws.
8. Think before you post.  Is what you are going to post something you would be comfortable sharing with a room full of people?  If it is not, then it is best left off of the Internet.
9. Safety first!  Do not share personal information about yourself or other students.  Types of personal information include full name, address, phone number, etc.
10. Follow the "Golden Rule", even online.  It is important to remember that the people you communicate with online are real people.  They have feelings just like you, so be nice!

References:

Anderson, S. (2012). How to create social media guidelines for your school. Retrieved from:
http://www.edutopia.org/how-to-create-social-media-guidelines-school

Baird, D. (2010). Using Facebook in the elementary classroom. Retrieved from: http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2010/07/using-facebook-in-the-elementary-school-classroom-parents-students.html

Fisher, C. (2012). Creating social media guidelines for educators. Retrieved from: http://www.ascd.org/conferences/conference-daily/ac12/social-media-guidelines.aspx  

Holland, B. (2013). Introducing social media to elementary students. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/introducing-social-media-lower-elementary-beth-holland


Illinois School Library Media Association. (n.d.). Developing social media guidelines. Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&ved=0CGwQFjAJ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.islma.org%2Fpdf%2FDevelopingSocialMediaGuidelines.pdf&ei=BC_JU9zfJ-P9igLykYDYDw&usg=AFQjCNFDyJS15Px1EhqRLtfH4ngRyrsjwQ&cad=rja