Social Media in a Family Literacy Program

May 21, 2011

Yesterday I was in Edmonton for the Food for Thought conference put on by the Centre for Family Literacy. A group of 42 literacy coordinators, practitioners and other professionals packed the workshop room to learn about how to use social media in a family literacy program. We talked about:

  • How to set up a Facebook page
  • What to put on your Facebook page
  • How to use Twitter including how the “@” and “#” or hashtags work
  • How to use Hootsuite

I gave a live demo of Twitter and Hootsuite. I showed how to mention other people and how to use hashtags to find topics you’re interested in. We also shared tips on how to use programs like Hootsuite to schedule updates and tweets and make social media more effective.

We also had a wonderful discussion about how to have a Facebook page without having it tied to a personal Facebook account. That was new for me. I have a couple of Facebook pages for different things that I do, and the only way I’ve ever built them was through my personal account.

For me, it was great learning to know that there are newer options available that don’t require an individual to have an organizational page tied to their name.

Here are the juiciest tips I shared from my own experience using social media:

Top Tips for using Social Media in a Literacy Program

Use social media as a way to reach more learners

There are some learners, particularly younger ones, who are digital natives. They have grown up with technology and may even be turned off by the idea of “old school” reading and writing. By stepping into the world of social media, you can meet those learners where they are today. You won’t reach all learners that way, of course. But it does open the doors to reaching those who might otherwise dismiss traditional literacy programs because they don’t relate to them.

Decide where you want to be on the “privacy continuum”.

Different people have different needs and comfort levels with posting personal information on the Internet. It is OK to be private… or even fib just a little bit, while still being authentic. We talked about how to figure out where people fit along the continuum and that no matter where that is, it’s OK.

Post regularly

Using a service such as Hootsuite can help you to streamline your social media activity, so it takes less time. I shared that had scheduled a number of Tweets before I left Calgary so that I was covered until I got home.

Think about sharing and helping others

We talked about how to use social media as a way to give and share resources. We looked at pages from a variety of literacy organizations. I pointed out how social media is meant to be a social, and reciprocal, activity. I recommend that people “like” pages of other organizations they support.

Avoid the “Incessant Ask” or “push”

One mistake non-profit organizations make when they use social media is to post a constant barage of requests for funding or donations, or just post about their own programs. The idea of social media is to engage with others, not push information on them, or worse yet, push unending requests for money at them. Re-posting, re-tweeting and sharing others’ information is a good thing!

Create conversations

Social media is just that – social. It’s a place to engage with others… talk with them. Ask questions. Be interested. Keeping a good balance between giving and taking, as well as giving and asking, are key points to keep in mind.

Say “Thank You”

I showed how to track “@” mentions and why it is important to say thank you when others re-post or re-Tweet your material. You may miss the odd one here and there, but overall, making a concerted effort to show appreciation when others like and share what you do, goes a long way in creating positive relationships and making you a good digital citizen.

I just loved working with this group. They’re passionate, engaged and ready to help one another out at a moment’s notice. Thanks to everyone who attended the session, shared and engaged with us!

_________________

Share this post: Social Media in a Family Literacy Program http://wp.me/pNAh3-FI

Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

Comments Off on Social Media in a Family Literacy Program | education, Literacy, social media, technology, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Excuses people will use to avoid learning, literacy and social media

May 16, 2011

Are you a literacy practitioner, tutor or coordinator? Have you ever heard excuses like these from your learners?

Photl - Blonde girl with book “I didn’t want to admit that I needed help.”

“I felt I was too old to learn.”

“I thought people would laugh at me for not knowing the basics.”

“It’s more important to work than to learn new things.”

“I don’t have time.”

Learners may:

  • Become agitated when they’re asked to use their literacy skills.
  • Walk away or disengage.
  • Show no interest in the situation.

These excuses aren’t my words. They’re in a nifty little .pdf handout from Hawaii literacy.

Literacy professionals work hard to help learners overcome their own personal, mental and emotional barriers to help them improve their literacy skills and experience the joy of learning new skills.

In my work with literacy and educational organizations, I’m often asked to give workshops on marketing and social media. I’ll be honest, it’s hard work.

In Guerrilla Marketing for Non-Profits, Jay Conrad Levinson, Frank Adkins and Chris Forbes make some insightful observations about marketing in non-profit organizations. They note that:

Some non-profit organizations treat marketing as something that is beneath their dignity or even against their core values. (p. 6)

I have found that to be true in some cases, but not all.

With more demand for social media marketing in literacy organizations, over the past 12-24 months, I’ve noticed something very curious. Some times when I talk with Executive Directors or program coordinators, I hear lots of reasons why they’re not “into” social media. The reasons go something like this:

Older woman“We don’t have time to market our programs or use social media.”

“It’s more important to do the work work than to learn about social media.”

“People might laugh at me for not knowing the basics. I don’t need to know that stuff anyway.”

“I’m a professional! I’m a leader. People look up to me. I don’t want to admit that I needed help.”

“I’m too old to learn this social media stuff.”

Interesting correlations, no? The reasons are the same… It’s just the context that’s different. The excuses learners use to avoid engaging in literacy learning are the same ones some educators and non-profit professionals use to avoid engaging with social media and marketing.

The excuses learners use to avoid getting help with reading, writing and literacy skills are the very same excuses I hear in my work with educators, non-profit professionals and sometimes parents, when it comes to engaging with social media.

Michael Fullan, one of my favorite educational leadership gurus, says, “Leaders learning from each other, raises the bar for all.” I encourage everyone to learn new things every day.

If you work with adults who are choose to make themselves vulnerable and allow themselves to be ripped out of their comfort zones and have the courage to take new steps into unknown territory, don’t just applaud them. Stand in solidarity with them by making yourself equally vulnerable and pushing yourself out of your own comfort zone.

Oh, and just so you don’t think I’m preaching without practicing, here’s a picture of me, last November at the Kennedy Space Centre, on an reduced-gravity training wall. It was part of a full-day of an Astronaut Training Experience Day that included getting strapped in and learning to maneuver up that wall, just like NASA astronauts do as part of their training. Saying I was ripped out of my comfort zone was an understatement. I do things like that every now and again… just for the experience. The older and more expert we become, the more important it is, I think, to remember what it’s like to be a complete novice, to throw the excuses out the window and just put ourselves out there to learn something new.

Social media doesn’t hurt half as much as that harness giving me a wedgie did. I’d put money on it.

Go on. Try something new this month. Just because you can.

_______________

Share this post: Excuses people will use to avoid learning, literacy and social media http://wp.me/pNAh3-EY

Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

Comments Off on Excuses people will use to avoid learning, literacy and social media | Literacy, social media, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

7 Things That Make Me Want to Unfollow You on #Twitter

May 2, 2011

I’ve been on Twitter for just over 2 years now. I had my account for well over a year before I actually got “into” it. For the longest time, I wasn’t really sure what it was all about or why anyone would Tweet. I’ve made a concerted effort over the past six months to learn more about Twitter and to engage others in conversations. It’s been a fabulous way to discover amazing work being done by people! I find Twitter to be a fountain of inspiration and great resources. There, however, a number of things that make me want to “unfollow” others…

1) Tweets that are trying to sell me stuff – all the time.

I don’t mind the occasional sales pitch now and then. But really, if there’s no content there and your tweets are just a barage of “buy my stuff!” it’s a turn-off.

2) Tweets that try to get me to your website – all the time.

Like a sales pitch, I can see that you’re trying to drive traffic to your website. Everyone wants website traffic. I’m OK with Tweets that share new blog posts or offer resources, but messages that just tell me to visit a website for no reason? Yawn… I’m more interested in real content. And there’s plenty of that on Twitter.

3) Tweets that are trying to get me to donate to your cause – all the time.

Much like the Tweets that try to sell me stuff, I get tired of the messages asking me to donate money. I follow a lot of non-profit organizations. I’ve worked with clients in the non-profit sector for the past decade. I believe in the causes of the organizations I follow… and I may already donate money to them. Really, I’m more interested in finding out about the good work you do… Share some success stories. Tell me about that latest grant you just got. Share a news article about something interesting in the non-profit sector or your particular cause.

4) If you follow me… and I follow you back… and then you promptly unfollow me.

Hello?! Do you think people don’t notice that you’re just trying to stack your following that way? If you’re really not interested in my tweets, that’s cool with me. It’s a personal choice that I reciprocate when people follow me. But stacking your followers, meh… Not a game I’m interested in. I will unfollow you back. 🙂

5) Direct messages (DMs) (especially the automated kind) trying to sell me you stuff or get me to your website.

Really? You think you can send me an automated direct message telling me to buy something and I’m really going to rush to your site and do that, just because you DMed me? If you think that, you’re DuMb… and annoying… and it makes me want to unfollow you for presuming I’m that gullible.

6) Foul language.

It’s not that I’m a prude. I’ve been known to make the air blue with my words on occasion. But there’s a time and a place. (You know, like when you get a flat tire in -40 Celcius and your cell phone battery is dead and you have no idea how to change a flat tire.) Twitter is not that place. Take your #%^&( foul language elsewhere.

7) Tweets that are you, pontificating. Incessantly.

There are a few people who can legitimately pontificate. The Pope. The Dalai Lama. But really, if you’re more or less just like me… I’ll probably like you more if you share other interesting stuff you find, too. I am interested in your opinions and what you have to say, but if all you ever Tweet about are your own pearls of wisdom, your own little sayings and your own bits of advice… I will probably lose interest at some point. If you never re-Tweet others or have conversations, you’re not really engaging… Though I do follow the Dalai Lama, overall, I’m not here to be a virtual disciple… Basically, if you’re interested in others, I’m more likely to find you interesting, too.

This post is dedicated to all my wonderful Tweeps… the ones who engage me, inspire me, feed my brain, make me laugh and make the Twitterverse a joy to be part of. You know who you are. 🙂

_____________

Share this post: 7 Things That Make Me Want to Unfollow You on #Twitter http://wp.me/pNAh3-E1

Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

Comments Off on 7 Things That Make Me Want to Unfollow You on #Twitter | social media, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

How ESL and other Language Schools Can Use Webinar Technology

April 30, 2011

The word webinar is being used today to refer to all kinds of online training and virtual presentations.

More and more literacy and language schools are adding a component of e-learning to their programs. It’s the 21st century way to learn!

Webinars are relatively easy to put on. Some of the language is a bit different from face-to-face environments, so it’s helpful to know that instructors, facilitators and teachers are mostly referred to as “presenters” in the webinar environment. Students, learners and clients are generally called “participants”.

Both presenters and participants need to have basic technology and computer literacy in order to take part in a webinar. This may mean that your current teachers and facilitators require some training before moving into an e-learning environment. Your participants may benefit from an orientation prior to the content to familiarize them with how webinars work.

Assuming that both parties have the technology literacy to move forward, here are some ideas on how you can make the most of webinar technology in your organization.

For Participants

Online group classes

Bring participants together in an e-learning class not only to teach them new content and skills, but also to learn how to work together in an online environment.

Online tutoring

Do you have learners in rural and remote areas? Or single parents who find it hard to get a sitter? Online tutoring provides a way for otherwise isolated learners to connect with tutors from the comfort and convenience of their own home. This is a super way to reach out to people who might otherwise not engage with learning.

Information sessions

If you offer information sessions about your programs in a live setting (your office space, a public library or elsewhere), you can adapt your content and host virtual information sessions. Information sessions are for prospective students and have a slight marketing component. A word of caution though… don’t try to “sell” in a webinar. Instead, demonstrate your expertise and what makes you unique.

Orientation sessions

When you bring new students into your organization, do you give them an orientation on  what to expect and how things work there? Photos, maps, and other materials can also be used in an online environment to give a virtual orientation. Though I’m a big fan of doing live webinars, this is one that you could record and use over again.

Pre-arrival workshops

If you offer classes for international students coming to learn English as a Second Language, an online pre-arrival workshop can be very helpful. Using photos, you can demonstrate what kind of clothes to bring (e.g. warm sweaters and winter boots), photos of the airport and what it will look like when they arrive, photos of what a typical airport arrival day looks like, and whatever other information you’d like them to know before they get to the program.

Follow-up workshops

Webinars are a great way to keep relationships going once the opportunity for face-to-face interaction has passed. A value-added webinar one month after the course ends is a super way to stay connected. Use the next upcoming holiday as a theme for your class and have everyone learn about it in the virtual classroom. In cases where participants already know one another, the online interaction is usually fun and very dynamic.

For staff and volunteers

Volunteer information sessions

Do you like the idea of having virtual teachers or tutors? Then set the stage by offering online information sessions for prospective teachers and volunteers about your organization. Review the programs that you offer, the opportunities you and the benefits of working with your organization. This is a great time to have current staff members and volunteer tutors chime in with what they love about working with you!

Volunteer training

Do you train your staff in intensive sessions that jam in loads of information? You can break it up into a series of online training workshops. The material is easier to absorb if you divide it into “chunks”. If you have ongoing workshops, your volunteers get ongoing training, which keeps building their skills. As an organization, ongoing training for them means you give offering them something back for their time and expertise.

Staff development workshops

Do your staff currently get all their professional development at an annual conference? I love conferences because of the chance to connect with old friends. But wouldn’t it be great to offer ongoing training and development for your staff throughout the year? The cool thing about this is that you don’t have to organize all the sessions yourself. Check out the Centre for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC). They specialize in  offering online PD for educators. They have literally hundreds of programs to choose from, ranging from free to expensive.

For the community

A Virtual Open House

Share what you do with the community, your stakeholders and donors through a virtual open house. Include photos of your facilities and your staff. A video that uses digital storytelling to celebrate the success of your learners makes it even more dynamic.

These are just a few ideas for literacy and language programs to use webinars in their organizations. I’m a big fan of using this technology in the non-profit and educational sectors. It offers a lot of value for everyone – staff, volunteers, learners and students, as well as community stake holders. How many non-profits still lag behind when it comes to their own technology literacy? Implementing the use of webinars positions your organization as a leader in terms of technology. You lead by example, showing others how virtual and online learning is an important part of 21st century of education and professional capacity building.

___________________

Share or Tweet this post: How ESL and other Language Schools Can Use Webinar Technology http://wp.me/pNAh3-sH

Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

Comments Off on How ESL and other Language Schools Can Use Webinar Technology | education, language program administration, languages, technology, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Social Media for Language Programs – Free conference

April 22, 2011

Yup, you read that right. My friend, Evan Rubin, and his colleagues at San Diego State University’s Language Acquisition Resource Centre (LARC) are busy planning the 2011 Social Media Workshop. They invited me to present at the 2010 Social Media conference where I gave a session on Using Skype in the Second and Foreign Language Classroom. I also attended a number of other sessions and their quality was outstanding.

This year, Evan has put together a stellar line-up that includes 5 full days of sessions, August 8-12, 2011. There will be everything from keynotes and presentations to hands-on practice and exchanges of ideas. We’ll be looking at performance-based assessment, e-portfolios, blogging and a whole host of other social media for language education.

The best part? It’s free, all of it! People in San Diego can attend the live sessions and the rest of us can join in via webinar from all around the globe.

This is a fantastic way to get yourself revved up for the new school year, get energized, share and learn. Go. Register now. Tell Evan I sent you. (It’s not like I get a commission or anything… It’s free after all.)

_________

Share this post: Social Media for Language Programs – Free conference http://wp.me/pNAh3-Dc

Comments Off on Social Media for Language Programs – Free conference | education, languages, social media, technology, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »