The policy issue I am focusing on is early childhood professional development. This is a topic that affects all stakeholders, parents, children and most importantly teachers. In considering how to communicate this issue to these stakeholders I am driven to social media. The first tool that I would use is the social networking site that almost everyone is familiar with, Facebook. Facebook allows the users to post pictures, upload files/attachments and create groups. This would be an important outlet as I would be able to post information for teachers relating to upcoming training and answer questions. The second social media program i would use is Goggle+ which is another program that is widely popular. I believe that this would be a good resource because it would connect that population that may not socialize on Facebook and also it provides users with multiple options to connect.
The target audience for my policy issue would be parents and early childhood professionals. I included parents because I believe that they are genuinely interested in the credentials of the teachers so they want to know what professional development the teachers participate in. Early childhood professionals, of course, would need access to the information as it is placed there for them. I am not a big social media person so in consideration of challenges I think the biggest challenge I would personally find is that of knowing how to properly use the programs. One benefit of using these social sites to publicize my issue is that the page followers would have information relating to this topic and gain a better understanding of the topic.
LaTresa,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you are exploring the Professional Development for Early Childhood Teachers. This is such a needed topic in our state and one I know would make a difference. I agree that parents need to be informed about the lack of professional development child care teachers receive. If you want to cut hair in Texas, you have to have more training than if you want to work with young children. This has always confused me. Facebook is an amazing avenue to spread your word. You could even have organizations like The Parenting Center or Texas AEYC share it on their page. This would allow you to reach more individuals with your message.
Rhonda
Rhonda,
DeleteThanks for the additional resources! Isn't it amazing that when it comes to children there are the least amount of requirements including parenting.
I completely agree the use of Facebook and Google+ has platforms to convey information about your policy under investigation. While Facebook was not initially designed for educational purposes, researchers point out its great potential in improving the learning experience, especially by promoting learning by cooperation (Silversru et. al. 2015, pg. 144). Engaging professionals and other stakeholders using social media although not traditional but has several benefits which include presenting potential changes and general public comment regarding your policy under investigation.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Silvestru, C. c., Mihaila, A. m., & Bere, R. r. (2015). Using Social Media in Online Learning – Approaches and Effects. Elearning & Software For Education, (3), 142-147. doi:10.12753/2066-026X-15-202
Kobi,
DeleteI am not big on social media myself as I am still learning how to do basic things on Facebook. In choosing platforms for this assignment I considered the audience that I would potentially reach.
I agree that these are great ways to get the word out to larger audiences. I feel that one drawback to Facebook is that you cannot control what is posted. You never know when you are going to get someone going off on a tangent that can hurt your position. The good thing is you still have the opportunity to defend and educate people on your stance. Social media is far reaching and can definitely benefit your cause.
ReplyDeleteLori,
DeleteGreat point. I've seen it many times when people are commenting on Facebook and it's like what are they talking about. On the one hand there may be the opportunity for discussion but it could also be harmful to my issue and distracting. Thanks for the advice I will keep that in mind.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteUsing Google plus it a great route when considering different social media paths. Google plus has a range benefits for organizations of all sizes and the mainstream appeal of Facebook, it hasn’t driven the same level of engagement for many businesses.Similar to the ideas of groups on other social networks, Google+ communities allow users to come together to discuss and share content based on specific topics of interests. Only certain topics can be discussed in these communities since the owners can heavily moderate them. I have used Google plus. It is a great way to promote something. Google plus is is very similar to Facebook in the way a user interacts with the platform to share content.
Tabiyes W.
Tabiyes,
DeleteThank you for the user experience. I am not big on social media even though I have all the relevant accounts. I chose Google+ as an outlet geared towards a specific group and there seems to more content control.