PUBLISHER'S CORNER
THE SOCIAL NETWORK TONY CORPIN, PUBLISHER S
ocial networking has become habitual. I’m checking my Facebook or LinkedIn accounts on a daily basis on my iPhone, iPad and laptop. Te medium is here to stay, and it's continually evolving how everyone communicates and disseminates infor- mation with each other. Are student transporters prepared for participating in that
conversation, as well as influencing how students use social sites? Social networking for teens can seem to be an escape from the gaze of parental mon-
itoring. Of course, there really is no such thing as privacy on the Internet. Some parents, meanwhile, think at the very least that social networking is a waste of time, if not downright dangerous. According to a study by market research firm Lab 42, more than 70 percent of parents check their children’s Facebook profile at least four to five times a week, with 43 percent checking daily. “Friending” your child on Facebook is standard — 92 percent of par- ents surveyed are Facebook friends with their children. Perhaps most surprising, however, is the high majority of parents who have their chil-
dren’s passwords — 72 percent! Tis is a good thing. Kids can have trouble comprehending that what they’re saying on the Internet isn’t just being viewed by their friends. Making kids more aware of their actions when it comes to the comments and pictures they post is not only important from a safety and liability standpoint, it’s a life lesson on how to conduct oneself in a responsible, respectful manner. Kids need to realize there are real consequences — the social sphere isn’t make-believe. Tat's where schools can influence things. A study in the Journal of Adolescent Health reports that teenagers who experience cyberbul-
lying are more likely to develop negative responses such as depression and addictive behaviors. Monitoring your kids on social networks should be the norm. So, too, should be teaching proper online etiquette as well as teaching them how to use social media for good. With the increased adoption of mobile devices by kids, opportunities do exist for educators to use social networking for positive outcomes. For example, we forecast Wi-Fi hotspots on the school bus to eventually gain popularity. Truly using the school bus as an extension of the classroom by enabling students to use their own personal communication devices can help make the case that school busing is vital to the educational process. As a result, schools are increasingly encouraging the use of social networking as an educational tool. A recent survey by Grunwald Associates of 1,277 kids and teens ages 9 to 17; more than 1,000 parents and about 250 school district leaders throughout the U.S., identified that 96 percent of students with Internet access report using social networking technologies. Of the students polled, 59 percent use social networking to talk about education topics online, and 50 percent talk specifically about schoolwork. School districts polled say 59 percent of their students use social networking for educational purposes. Skype, YouTube and Facebook are the most popular social networking sites used in schools. Parents and educators must reflect on what is being taught to kids about the positives and
negatives of these social networks. Is your transportation team taking the time to discuss this technology with student riders? With each other? How does or can your school district use social networking as a communication tool? What policies must be implemented to safeguard students as well as yourself, your staff and your district? Transportation needs to be at the table when asking and answering these tough questions.
74 School Transportation News August 2013
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76