IRB is a go!

Received the "go ahead" from the IRb to proceed with my research. My language arts friend is looking over my resource guide, and then I am going to get it sent out to six people as part of the preliminary field testing. Thanks to Mike Ribble, I will be sending the guide to social media experts in Alaska and Australia, along with teachers, building leaders and district-level leaders. Hopefully I will get some great responses.

At Panera with my friend, "Diss!"

Been at Panera for about five hours working on my "diss" and visiting with Karen while she enjoys the writing experience, too. I've made about 90% of the recommended changes to my first three chapters, and I am now moving into actually writing the resource guide. I received some wonderful needs assessment information from Dr. Gerald Bailey, Donna Whiteman, and Ginger Lewman. They all were quite helpful! My goal is to keep the actual content of the resource guide between 25-30 pages. May take some doing, but I am pretty sure that a building leader would appreciate brevity. I like that word, brevity :).

Back at it!

Been a few months since I posted. Survived the proposal meeting. I worked several hours today (literally, several hours) on making recommended changes. Using an R&D methodology makes sense to me, but I did not do the best job writing about it. Though I get a bit perturbed at the whole diss process I am learning SO much! Still hoping to finish and graduate this May, 2012 :). God be with me!

Back at it!

Spent a few more hours doing a little "diss" work. Visited with Dr. Shoop at KSU last week, and it looks as though if I keep my nose to the proverbial grind stone that I should be able to defend my proposal in September. And more importantly, I could be on schedule to defend my dissertation in March. Woohoo!

I'm super pumped to get moving with the proposal so that I can put my energies in developing a resource guide. The more I learn, the more necessary I believe it to be. I would love to help districts be proactive in helping all their staff members use social media appropriately.

I love the idea of blogging, but after working for hours researching sometimes I need to make myself post a blog entry.

1st Amendment continues..

Spent some time yesterday and today looking over more 1st Amendment "stuff" concernng free speech interpretations...and I do mean interpretations (by courts)! It's amazing to see how free speech and privacy can conflict, and even more confusing how one decision at one level will say free speech has the upper hand, and then the next decision I find shows that privacy trumps. Argh! Guess the message is that there may continue to be this variation, and that people need to know where the boundaries are (if they really do want to stay out of trouble).

Took a break to get my "American Idol" fix. Hate to even admit I am into this show so much. Love how people have a chance to be discoverd who might have never been noticed. Cool stuff!

Wichita Eagle Article

Suzanne Tobias did a nice job putting together an article on teachers using social networks. And like one of the people who commented online to it mentioned, it's not just teachers but all people. We all need to think about what we post, and how it might be viewed by others reading the post.

http://www.kansas.com/2011/03/13/1760952/teachers-walk-delicate-line-online.html

And now I am reminded that I need to never say "like" in the middle of a sentence when being interviewed. Oh well. I'll blame it on working with middle school kiddos for all those years :). It's a small price to pay for getting to work with people who keep you young!

Now, on to the gym (loving this time change), and then on to a job I love.

Peace, D.

More Diss Time

Spent a few more hours yesterday and today doing research on the use of social media in schools.

Looked at information indicating that the desire for privacy online is getting lower, more and more teachers and students are using social media, and those who use it are having some pretty amazing results engaging students. Found some research which even shows using Web 2.0 tools appropriately can significantly help reduce student drop-out rates...very cool!

I am enjoing the research about First Amendment issues such as Freedom of Speech/Expression and issues concerning privacy. I've got lots and lots to sift through, and will need to be comfortable using Lexus Nexus at the KSU library. Fun times over Spring Break!

Note to self--always good to pick a dissertation topic you enjoy spending time with. Spending more time with this project than I ever thought I could :).

Interesting Interviews at KSU today

Had a wonderful opportunity to interview new teachers at KSU Education Interview Day. I asked each of the new teachers-in-training to share a lesson plan which really "worked" during their student teaching experiences, and a majority of them shared activities they did using online or social media (You Tube activities being used three times). Luckily, they were teaching in districts where the filters were set to allow this.

They helped remind me of the importance of unlocking the doors to the superhighway our students travel! And they also reminded me that we are all going to have to get on-board with this or our students will be left behind those who are already using it.

Also, interviewing new teachers keeps me excited about the future of education :).

Sunday - Time flies when you are "dissing" it...

Worked another few hours, and again enjoyed learning more about why schools must get on-board with allowing social media in thier schools. I am afraid that those courageous schools who are allowing this, and are teaching their students to act the part of a digital citizen, are passing our students by on this technology superhighway idea. Better quit putting up roadblocks, and help our kiddos know how to navigate in a world which is likely to be here the rest of their lives.

Can you imagine that the Internet will ever go away? And yes, I do believe that students can't be turned loose to use these social media tools without our guidance, anymore than my dad would have allowed me to drive that 3-speed 1972 pickup truck in 1976 without giving me some guidance on how to shift gears, and use the clutch without ruining the truck and running into a phone pole. Glad he didn't just tell me "You can't drive because you might make bad decisions." He taught me how! Let's teach them how!

Just Dee ranting, and now I'm off to buy a baby gift for a sweet baby named Madelin.

D.

Done for the Day

Spent a few hours learning more about social media and how loads of schools are using it more and more, and who should be dictating what technology educators should be using. Interesting stuff. Next assignment is to look at "5 Considerations for Digital Age Leaders: What Principals and District Administrators Need to Know about Tech Integration Today."

But, for now I am off to take my sister to lunch for her birthday (which was Feb. 14th) and then to treat ourselves to a pedicure. No technology needed for those two fun things!

D.

I would love for my daughter to attend Chris Lehman's high school!

http://practicaltheory.org/serendipity/index.php?/archives/1291-An-Open-Letter-to-Natalie-Monroe.html

I believe Chris Lehman (in the link above) spoke the words so many of us felt when we learned about Natalie Monroe's blog entry and her reaction. Teachers do have a special place in society. And saying that what you put on the Internet anywhere is private, is incredibly naive. It frightens me to think anyone who teaches today believes this since they may actually be sharing that belief with their students.

Chris's words may put some off because he says them quite boldly, yet he also says them for the right reason...he truly gets the job of educating and caring for other people's kiddos.

Preach it Chris!

Saturday Diss Work

You know I am committed to this endeavor when I commit to working on in Saturday mornings. It was a crazy, busy week, and I am actually looking forward to getting lost in a little research and, hopefully, a lot of writing.

I've got my coffee and the Cricket the Cat, so no excuses!

Blog on!
D.

It's Diss Time

My plan is to research/write two nights each week for at least a two hour stretch each night, and to try to find eight hours during the weekend.  I find myself actually enjoying  this process, yet I feel a bit overwhelmed at the massive amounts of information on this topic. 

Seems like a strange thing to complain about.  I remember my undergrad days at K-State when I would search and search for hours in those dusty, dark, crowded stacks in the library. 

It's a good thing to have too much...guess I'd best quit complaining and get back to writing!

Life is good.  D.

Getting Started

Greetings!  My name is Deanna and I have been an educator since 1984.  I was a high school social studies teacher for 15 years, a middle school assistant principal for 8 years, a director of secondary education curriculum for one year, and am now a director of human resources.  

Additionally, I am in my third year of working on a doctorate at Kansas State University, and I have known all along the way that my dissertation would deal with the use of social media by K-12 teachers.  My desire to do this comes from my belief that our students are living in a world filled with technology, and we need to be using the tools which will help them learn best. 

Another reason i am interested in this topic, is I want to help staff members use social media in a way which is as beneficial for them as it is the students.  I want them to enjoy using it, to see the relevance of it, and to use it in a safe way.

I am anxious to communicate with any of you out there in the blogosphere who might be interested in some of the aforementioned things.

Take care, D.