The power of social capital in teaching

Here is an interesting new article on the power of social capital (and thus, social networks) in teachers work. http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/the_missing_link_in_school_reform/

Teacher-Student Online Networking: Weighing in

Recently, legislators in Missouri enacted a law that essentially bans online social networking between teachers and students ( see http://cnet.co/oypju1 for details). The rationale is that it would protect children from sexual abuse by blocking online chatting opportunities between students and teachers.

Does this make sense? In my opinion, not a lot. First, it seems like a band-aid solution for a problem that would find another way to resurface (likely through face to face interactions, rather than online). Second, it actually hinders the kind of communication between students and teachers that allows teachers to learn about the external factors shaping students' experiences, which is valuable knowledge for student-centered teachers. Third, it makes negative assumptions about teachers that damages our respect for their professional decision-making and work.

I can understand the worry that administrators have about teacher-student social networking - it's something that happens "after hours," in an informal arena. However, they must realize that students and teachers will communicate with each other anyway- they'll just find different means to do so. In fact, online social networks offer parents and administrators a clearer picture of the social networks that teacher and students are involved in and how they use them, especially if students have clear communication with their parents about their networking habits (such as sharing their social networks with their parents).

My recommendation is for administrators to find ways to help teachers use online social networks in a positive and productive way, rather than banning them altogether. Teachers can share information about what's going on inside the classroom and what's planned for the future with parents and students online. They can further students' interests in current topics by posting articles and links to helpful websites. They can learn from students by listening to them and learning who they socialize with (and why).

I have a professional Facebook page and several of my current and former students have friended me. It is a valuable information source for me as an educator. I learn about the heartaches and struggles students are going through outside of class; who has a relative who has died, who is working two jobs, who has a significant other in the armed forces, and so on. Students occasionally chat with me as well. They ask me about how to apply for jobs or scholarships, what to do to improve a particular assignment, or just to say thank you. I think students appreciate that I am there for them in this way, and I certainly benefit from getting a "bigger picture" of their lives.

There are precautions we should all take when networking online. Yet, the young people of today will be the leaders of tomorrow and will likely be networking online all of their lives. Including adults such as teachers and parents in young people's networks can help them learn how to use these technologies in a safer and possibly more educational way. Further, teachers must also learn how to engage with these technologies, because they will be the ones teaching this future generation, and cannot do so blind to one of the biggest parts of their lives. When we doubt that teachers cannot learn to use these technologies in a professional manner, we also doubt their professional judgement and abilities. This leads to the degradation of the profession on the whole (which sadly has been happening for some time, with repeated teacher-bashing in politics and the media). We need teachers to be supported in making professional judgement, because every child they encounter is unique, and they must be able to make unique choices regarding their education.

There is no single prescription for education; teaching is complex, and teachers must have opportunities to learn about the lives of the children they work with, inside and outside of school. Being able to connect online is one of those opportunities. Done thoughtfully and responsibly, it can be a powerful professional tool.

New Book, New Website

My book, The Networked Teacher: How New Teachers Build Social Networks for Professional Support, will be available in stores and online at the end of August (although you CAN pre-order it online at Amazon.com). If you want a sneak peak of the book, visit the companion website athttp://www.thenetworkedteacher.com. In addition to previews, folks that eventually read the book will be able to use some of the interactive tools such as network graphing technology, book group discussion guides, and interactive forums. Check it out and share with others who might be interested!

A tide of publications on Teachers’ Social Networks (II – The Articles)

In my last post, I described some of the books that have recently been published on the topic of teachers’ social networks. In addition to books, there has been a flurry of publication on the topic. I’ll touch on a few by colleagues- with some shameless self-promotion to boot – If I’ve left some of your favorites out, be sure to chime in on the comments section!

Policy Articles

Daly, A. J., Moolenaar, N.M., Bolivar, J.M, & Burke, P. (2010) Relationships in reform: The role of teachers’ social networks. Journal of Educational Administration. 48 (3)

As mentioned in the previous post, Daly and are big on the teachers’ social network scene, and this article is massive – covering the implementation of as school reform across an entire district from the point of view of social networks. The implications slap you in the face with the significance of social networks in teachers’ work – when schools had greater density in their reform-related networks, they were more likely to have successful reform outcomes.

Coburn, C.E., & Russell, J.L. (2008) District Policy and Teachers’ Social Networks. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. 30 (3)

Okay, so this one isn’t so recent, but I haven’t mentioned it yet, and I must say that it’s one that I keep going back to. Like Daly et. al., Coburn and Russell look at how district policy was implemented from a social network perspective, yet their approach is much more qualitative. You get a vivid pictures of what social networks look like on the ground and the everyday interactions that impact them.

Baker-Doyle, K.J. (2010) Beyond the labor market paradigm: A social network perspective on teacher recruitment and retention. Educational Policy and Analysis Archives. 18 (26).

This article was just published a few weeks ago. It is really an overview of research perspectives on teacher recruitment and retention and shows how a social network perspective can reveal factors that are not considered under current research paradigms.

Teacher Support and Professional Development Articles

Anderson, L. (2010) Embedded, emboldened and (net)working for change: Support seeking and teacher agency in urban, high needs schools. Harvard Education Review. 80(4), 541-572

Anderson’s research is on new teachers’ social networks. He research is primarily qualitative, and she digs deep into the complexities of each of her case study teachers’ lives. We’re kindred spirits - I’m really looking forward to seeing more of her work published!!

Baker-Doyle, K.J. & Yoon, S.A. (2010) In search of practitioner-based social capital: A social network analysis tool for understanding and facilitating teacher collaboration in a USA-based STEM professional development program. Professional Development in Education. 37(1), 75-93.

My colleague Susan Yoon and I are in the midst of a series of articles on the social networks of teachers in a STEM professional development program. This is the first in the series. It discusses how we devised a social network analysis tool to investigate the networking dynamics of the group of teachers in the PD. Really interesting findings – mainly that when teachers needed help with science content they did not naturally seek out support from people who had a lot of content knowledge! A little about our intervention and outcomes the second year is in our chapter in Daly’s Book, Social Network Theory and Educational Change. Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming articles in the series!

Fox, A., Wilson, E. and Deaney, R (2011) Beginning teachers’ workplace experiences: their perceptions and use of support, Vocations and Learning, 4(1), Available from Online First August 2010

Fox, Anderson, and I have all focused on new teachers’ social networks and we’ve each come to some similar conclusions about a variety of issues. What I agree with most with Fox et. al.’s most recent piece is in their encouragement of new teachers to reject passivity and take charge of networking.

Coming up in my next post....

The Conference Round-Up – AERA 2011 and beyond!