Communication is the cornerstone to the success a student achieves in his/her education. That may seem obvious considering that teachers communicate the lessons to the students every day. While this is true, communication in education goes significantly beyond that. When parents are actively involve in their child’s education and actively communicate with their child’s teacher, the child is more likely to have greater success in their education and beyond (Olmstead, 2013). Students and teachers must also have active communication beyond just the subject matter. Below are three tools that can be used by teachers to maintain active and timely communication between teachers, students, parents, and even the world.
A classroom website can deliver a massive amount of information to parents and students about what is going on in the classroom all in one place. With a properly maintained website a teacher can relay class announcements, a calendar of events, contact information, helpful links, and much more. The teacher can put homework assignments and due dates on the website for both parents and students to see, giving parents the opportunity to stay involved and up to date with their child’s education. A class website will also allow the classroom to enter the global space. The Internet’s power as a communication tool is partly due to bringing new knowledge to all corners of the globe inexpensively (Houston, 2003). So students from other countries may see the website and wish to open dialogue with the class, dialogue that can be established through social media.
Social media is everywhere now. People log on to sites like Facebook and Instagram many times a day to check their feeds and keep up with those on their friends list. A teacher can take advantage of this by creating a class Facebook page to relay the most recent class or school news quickly and to the entire class and their parents at once. The advantage here is that it consumes very little time to post something on the class Facebook page versus the time it takes to call everyone on the phone or update the class website. Of course security and privacy are an issue, but this will be covered later. “Creating a class page or group allows students to check class information and communicate informally with peers” (Coombs, Leite, & Grierson, 2010, p. 16). This peer communication is not limited to other classmates, it can extend to other schools in the state, country, or even the world, giving students a unique opportunity to learn from other cultures. That does not meant classroom communication must be global to be effective, though.
With more and more people carrying not just cell phones, but smart phones, the window of possibility opens up for classroom communication. Not only can students and parents access the class website and Facebook page via their smart phones, they can also receive announcements and reminders from the teacher using text messages. Again, privacy issues become a concern with students and teachers sharing phone numbers, but using a group texting tool, such as Remind101, which parents and students can opt-in if they want to receive messages from the teacher via text is a great alternative (Bobbitt, Inman, & Bertrand, 2013). Remind101 requires no phone number exchange, the teacher is assigned a phone number through the site, which students will text to subscribe. Remind101 keeps all numbers hidden, so others cannot see them. While Remind101 has no real usefulness as a global communication tool, it is ideal for teachers to inform parents and students of event changes, classroom changes, and homework reminders while keeping everyone’s phone numbers private.
Privacy and security are two words on everyone’s mind where Internet usage is concerned, especially when children are involved. With curriculums involving tools like the Internet and social media, students are spending more time online where manipulation and intimidation are real threats if they do not stay on task (DeFranco, 2011). Teachers need to be out front on the topics of Internet security and privacy from early in the student’s education career so they are educated in the risks and how to avoid them so that privacy and security while using the Internet becomes a life skill. Besides educating the students, the parents and teachers must be taught security and privacy on the Internet as well, if not for their own benefit, then because they are tasked with keeping children out of harm’s way on the Internet.
The three tools listed above are effective methods to enhance and maintain active and up to date classroom communication between teachers, students, and parents. A class website and Facebook page even bring the classroom to the world and invite the world into the classroom. Internet privacy and security must always be on the minds of the user, but he benefits of the tools are incredible. The education of today’s students is vastly different than previous students and communication in the classroom is one reason why.
References
Bobbitt, R., Inman, R., & Bertrand, E. (2013). Using Remind101 as a classroom communication tool. NACTA Journal, 57(4), 77-78.
Coombs, D., Leite, J., Grierson, S. (2010). Opening Pandora’s Box: Social networks in the classroom of 2010. Kentucky English Bulletin, 59(2), 14-18.
DeFranco, J. F. (2011). Teaching Internet security, safety in our classrooms. Techniques: Connecting Education and Careers, 86(5), 52-55.
Houston, D. A. (2003). Can the Internet promote open global societies?. Independent Review, 7(3), 353.
Olmstead, C. (2013). Using technology to increase parent involvement in schools. TechTrends, 57(6), 28-37.
A classroom website can deliver a massive amount of information to parents and students about what is going on in the classroom all in one place. With a properly maintained website a teacher can relay class announcements, a calendar of events, contact information, helpful links, and much more. The teacher can put homework assignments and due dates on the website for both parents and students to see, giving parents the opportunity to stay involved and up to date with their child’s education. A class website will also allow the classroom to enter the global space. The Internet’s power as a communication tool is partly due to bringing new knowledge to all corners of the globe inexpensively (Houston, 2003). So students from other countries may see the website and wish to open dialogue with the class, dialogue that can be established through social media.
Social media is everywhere now. People log on to sites like Facebook and Instagram many times a day to check their feeds and keep up with those on their friends list. A teacher can take advantage of this by creating a class Facebook page to relay the most recent class or school news quickly and to the entire class and their parents at once. The advantage here is that it consumes very little time to post something on the class Facebook page versus the time it takes to call everyone on the phone or update the class website. Of course security and privacy are an issue, but this will be covered later. “Creating a class page or group allows students to check class information and communicate informally with peers” (Coombs, Leite, & Grierson, 2010, p. 16). This peer communication is not limited to other classmates, it can extend to other schools in the state, country, or even the world, giving students a unique opportunity to learn from other cultures. That does not meant classroom communication must be global to be effective, though.
With more and more people carrying not just cell phones, but smart phones, the window of possibility opens up for classroom communication. Not only can students and parents access the class website and Facebook page via their smart phones, they can also receive announcements and reminders from the teacher using text messages. Again, privacy issues become a concern with students and teachers sharing phone numbers, but using a group texting tool, such as Remind101, which parents and students can opt-in if they want to receive messages from the teacher via text is a great alternative (Bobbitt, Inman, & Bertrand, 2013). Remind101 requires no phone number exchange, the teacher is assigned a phone number through the site, which students will text to subscribe. Remind101 keeps all numbers hidden, so others cannot see them. While Remind101 has no real usefulness as a global communication tool, it is ideal for teachers to inform parents and students of event changes, classroom changes, and homework reminders while keeping everyone’s phone numbers private.
Privacy and security are two words on everyone’s mind where Internet usage is concerned, especially when children are involved. With curriculums involving tools like the Internet and social media, students are spending more time online where manipulation and intimidation are real threats if they do not stay on task (DeFranco, 2011). Teachers need to be out front on the topics of Internet security and privacy from early in the student’s education career so they are educated in the risks and how to avoid them so that privacy and security while using the Internet becomes a life skill. Besides educating the students, the parents and teachers must be taught security and privacy on the Internet as well, if not for their own benefit, then because they are tasked with keeping children out of harm’s way on the Internet.
The three tools listed above are effective methods to enhance and maintain active and up to date classroom communication between teachers, students, and parents. A class website and Facebook page even bring the classroom to the world and invite the world into the classroom. Internet privacy and security must always be on the minds of the user, but he benefits of the tools are incredible. The education of today’s students is vastly different than previous students and communication in the classroom is one reason why.
References
Bobbitt, R., Inman, R., & Bertrand, E. (2013). Using Remind101 as a classroom communication tool. NACTA Journal, 57(4), 77-78.
Coombs, D., Leite, J., Grierson, S. (2010). Opening Pandora’s Box: Social networks in the classroom of 2010. Kentucky English Bulletin, 59(2), 14-18.
DeFranco, J. F. (2011). Teaching Internet security, safety in our classrooms. Techniques: Connecting Education and Careers, 86(5), 52-55.
Houston, D. A. (2003). Can the Internet promote open global societies?. Independent Review, 7(3), 353.
Olmstead, C. (2013). Using technology to increase parent involvement in schools. TechTrends, 57(6), 28-37.