Introduction:
It is important to understand the impact that technology has on a student’s education. Using technology helps the parents to stay informed and keep their students on track. When teachers keep parents informed, they are more actively involving the parents. Parents that are more actively involved tend to have students with better grades and higher test scores (Olmstead, 2013). Knowing which software to use for each occasion to properly communicate with parents, students and the global community is important, as well as understanding the safety concerns associated with using technology to communicate.
Technology to Enhance Communication
Remind:
Parents: Parents can opt in to receive text messages from their child’s teacher without ever having to give the teacher their private cell phone number. It is a simple and secure way to receive communication about what is going on in the classroom ("Remind | Learn More", 2014).
Students: Older students with cell phones can receive texts about assignments, encouragement or other reminders that will help them in the school life ("Remind | Learn More", 2014).
Global Community: This can be used by administrators to keep teachers in the loop about things that they need to remember such as staff meetings!
ClassDojo:
Parents: This tool allows parents to check up on their students throughout the day to see their behavior and progress in the classroom. It also allows them to securely communicate with the teacher through the app or website ("Resources", 2014).
Students: Students can access it with the help of their parents to see how many points they got each day. They can set personal goals and work to achieve them by making their behavior better to earn more points ("Resources", 2014).
Global Community: This tool offers a global community to chat with other teachers using this system to find better ways to make things work. Teachers can discuss issues and work with other teachers to find solutions ("Resources", 2014).
Email:
Parents: This is a great way to reach parents with secure information about their child. (Kosaretskii, & Chernyshova, 2013).
Students: This tool benefits the students, but does not enhance communication. It benefits children by helping the parents to know what is happening in their day.
Global Community: Teachers can use this tool to communicate with fellow teachers both nearby and around the world through email loops such as yahoo groups.
Edmondo:
Parents: This system allows parents to stay informed about their student’s current learning so that they can ask questions or discuss what is going on in the classroom. By engaging students in learning, they are building upon the child’s learning ("About", 2014).
Students: Students complete assignments in the online forums which help them to participate more freely, especially for the students who may have trouble engaging in class discussions ("About", 2014).
Global Community: This tool offers a community in which students, parents and teachers can all share. It also offers teachers a site to connect with other teachers and join a conversation about topics of their interest ("About", 2014).
Communication Internet Security and Safety:
Teachers need to address internet security and safety in their communications in the same way they would address security and safety in real life. If you would not allow a student to go somewhere with someone you didn’t know in real life, then you should not be allowing them to navigate the internet alone either. Do your research and understand the safety of information before you use a software program to send private information. Using the 3-E’s approach to internet will help to keep information safer. The 3-e’s are Education, Empowerment, and Enforcement. Educate yourself and those around you about safety, empower them to make good choices and enforce the rules that you have set. These things will help keep you and your information safe (Thierer, 2013).
Concluding Paragraph
Communication is part of a person’s life from the earliest stages. Whether communicating with doctors or teachers or parents, there is always communication. Learning to communicate completely and safely is very important for your whole life. Teachers should be a large part in helping a child to learn to communicate. They can help the child learn to communicate safely by modeling proper communication and teaching a child the rules to keep them safe online and in regular life.
References
About. (2014, January 1). Retrieved October 27, 2014, from www.edmodo.com
Kosaretskii, S. G., & Chernyshova, D. V. (2013). Electronic Communication Between the School and the Home. Russian Education & Society, 55(10), 81-89. doi:10.2753/RES1060-9393551006
Olmstead, C. (2013). Using Technology to Increase Parent Involvement in Schools. Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 57(6), 28-37. doi:10.1007/s11528-013-0699-0
Remind | Learn More. (2014, January 1). Retrieved October 27, 2014, from https://www.remind.com/learn-more
Resources. (2014, January 1). Retrieved October 27, 2014, from https://www.classdojo.com/resources
Thierer, A. (2013). The Pursuit of Privacy in a World Where Information Control is Failing. Harvard Journal Of Law & Public Policy, 36(2), 409-455.
