CREATING & CONNECTING//Research and Guidelines on Online Social — and Educational — Networking

NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION CONTENTS
Creating & Connecting//The Positives ...... Page 1 Online social networking Creating & Connecting//The Gaps ...... Page 4 is now so deeply embedded in the lifestyles of tweens and teens that Creating & Connecting//Expectations it rivals television for their atten- and Interests ...... Page 7 tion, according to a new study Striking a Balance//Guidance and Recommendations from Grunwald Associates LLC for School Board Members ...... Page 8 conducted in cooperation with the National School Boards Association. Nine- to 17-year-olds report spending almost as much time About the Study using social networking services This study was made possible with generous support and Web sites as they spend from Microsoft, News Corporation and Verizon. watching television. Among teens, The study was comprised of three surveys: an that amounts to about 9 hours a online survey of 1,277 nine- to 17-year-old students, an online survey of 1,039 parents and telephone inter- week on social networking activi- views with 250 school district leaders who make deci- ties, compared to about 10 hours sions on Internet policy. Grunwald Associates LLC, an a week watching TV. independent research and consulting firm that has conducted highly respected surveys on educator and Students are hardly passive family technology use since 1995, formulated and couch potatoes online. Beyond directed the study. Hypothesis Group managed the basic communications, many stu- field research. Tom de Boor and Li Kramer Halpern of dents engage in highly creative Grunwald Associates LLC provided guidance through- out the study and led the analysis. activities on social networking A more detailed market research report based on sites — and a sizeable proportion this survey, including findings of interest to industry, of them are adventurous noncon- is available commercially from Grunwald Associates formists who set the pace for their (www.grunwald.com). peers. The study was carried out with support from Microsoft, News Corporation, and Verizon. The views of the study Overall, an astonishing 96 per- do not necessarily represent the views of the underwriters. cent of students with online access report that they have ever used any social networking technolo- gies, such as chatting, text messag- July 2007 ing, blogging and visiting online homework that requires Internet A Hot Topic of Social Networking: Education communities, such as Facebook, use to complete. In light of the MySpace and services designed study findings, school districts specifically for younger children, may want to consider reexamin- Percentage of such as Webkins and the chat sec- ing their policies and practices 59% online students who say they tions of Nick.com. Eighty-one and explore ways in which they talk about any education- percent say they have visited a could use social networking for related topics, including 59% social networking Web site within educational purposes. college or college planning; the past three months and 71 per- learning outside of school; cent say they use social network- news; careers or jobs; politics, ing tools at least weekly. Creating & ideas, religion or morals; and Further, students report that Connecting// schoolwork one of the most common topics The Positives of conversation on the social There has been explosive growth networking scene is education. in creative and authoring activi- Almost 60 percent of students ties by students on social net- who use social networking talk working sites in recent years. about education topics online and, With words, music, photos and Percentage of surprisingly, more than 50 percent videos, students are expressing 50% online students who say they talk specifically about schoolwork. themselves by creating, manipu- Yet the vast majority of school talk specifically about 50% lating and sharing content online. schoolwork districts have stringent rules This is how they’re spending time: against nearly all forms of social networking during the school day Posting messages. More than one — even though students and par- in five online students (21 per- ents report few problem behaviors cent) say they post comments on online. Indeed, both district lead- message boards every day; four ers and parents believe that social out of 10 (41 percent) say they networking could play a positive do so at least once a week. In role in students’ lives and they 2002, only 7 percent posted daily recognize opportunities for using and only 17 percent did so at it in education — at a time when least once a week, according to a teachers now routinely assign similar Grunwald Associates LLC Source: Grunwald Associates LLC survey.

Creating & Connecting page 1 Sharing music. Nearly a third (32 once a week or more. Overall, six (16 percent) say they use percent) of online students say nearly half (49 percent) say they online tools to create and share they download music or audio have uploaded photos or artwork compositions that are more that other users uploaded at least at some point. sophisticated than simple art or once a week, or upload third- stories, including virtual objects, Site-building. More than one in party music or audio themselves such as puzzles, houses, clothing 10 online students (12 percent) (29 percent). More than one in 10 and games. One in seven (14 per- say they update their personal (12 percent) say they upload cent) create new characters at Web site or online profiles every music or podcasts of their own least weekly, with nearly a third of day; one in four (25 percent) do creation at least weekly. these students doing so every day. so at least weekly. In 2002, only 12 One in 10 (10 percent) start or Sharing videos. Nearly a third (30 percent of tweens and teens even contribute to online collaborative percent) of online students say had a personal Web site or online projects weekly or more fre- they download and view videos profile. quently. Ten percent send sugges- uploaded by other users at least Blogging. More than one in six tions or ideas to Web sites at least once a week. Almost one in 10 (9 (17 percent) of online students once a week as well. Nearly one in percent) say they upload videos of say they add to blogs they’ve cre- 10 (9 percent) submit articles to their own creation at least weekly. ated at least weekly; 30 percent of sites at least weekly or create polls, Overall, more than one in five students have their own blogs. In quizzes or surveys online. online students (22 percent) say 2002, blogs were a negligible blip they have uploaded videos they Nonconformists — students who on the online scene for students. created at some point. step outside of online safety and Creating content. In 2002, only behavior rules — are on the cut- Sharing photos. Nearly one in about one in seven students (13 ting edge of social networking, four (24 percent) of online stu- percent) said they were involved with online behaviors and skills dents say they post photos or art- in online art and story-sharing, that indicate leadership among work created by others at least either creating it or looking at their peers. About one in five (22 once a week. More than one in others’ work. Today, many more percent) of all students surveyed, five (22 percent) say they post students report participating in and about one in three teens (31 photos or artwork of their own just one creative process — percent), are nonconformists, stu- creation at least that often. In authoring — every week — and dents who report breaking one or 2002, only 12 percent said they the range of their content creation more online safety or behavior “exchange pictures with friends” activities is much broader. One in rules, such as using inappropriate

page 2 National School Boards Association language, posting inappropriate Popular Social Networking Activities pictures, sharing personal infor- Percentage of online tweens and teens who say they do these activities at least weekly mation with strangers or pretend- ing to be someone they are not. Posting messages Nonconformists are signifi- 41% cantly heavier users of social net- Downloading music working sites than other students, 32% participating in every single type Downloading videos of social networking activity sur- 30% veyed (28 in all) significantly Uploading music more frequently than other stu- 29% dents both at home and at school Updating personal Web sites or online profiles — which likely means that they 25% break school rules to do so. For Posting photos example, 50 percent of noncon- 24% formists are producers and 38 Blogging percent are editors of online con- 17% tent, compared to just 21 percent Creating and sharing virtual objects and 16 percent, respectively, of 16% other students. Creating new characters These students are significantly 14% more likely to be heavy users of Participating in collaborative projects both new media (online, video 10% games, handhelds) and old media Sending suggestions or ideas to Web sites (TV, videos/DVDs, radio). But 10% they are significantly more likely Submitting articles to Web sites to prefer new media to old. They 9% also are disproportionately likely Creating polls, quizzes or surveys to learn about new sites and fea- 9% tures online, through the “chat vine” or other online mechanisms, while other students are more Source: Grunwald Associates LLC

Creating & Connecting page 3 Leading Their Generation likely to hear about them from Creating & Nonconformists parents or teachers. Ironically, Connecting// are significantly more likely than other students to be: nonconformists also are more in The Gaps touch with their parents as well, Traditional influentials (students who recommend products frequently and keep up with the latest brands) communicating significantly
more frequently with their par- While social networking 39% ents in every way except in person seems omnipresent in the lives of — online or by cell phone, for most tweens and teens outside of 27% example — than other students. school, most school districts are Promoters (students who tell their peers about new sites These students seem to have cautious about its use in school: and features online) an extraordinary set of traditional Most schools have rules against and 21st century skills, including 41% social networking activities: communication, creativity, collab- • More than nine in 10 school dis- oration and leadership skills and 25% tricts (92 percent) require par- technology proficiency. Yet they Recruiters (students who get a disproportionately ents and/or students to sign an are significantly more likely than large number of other students to visit their favorite sites) Internet use policy. Nearly all other students to have lower (98 percent) districts use soft- 59% grades, which they report as “a ware to block access to inappro- mix of Bs and Cs,” or lower, than priate sites. 32% other students. However, previous • More than eight in 10 districts Organizers (students who organize a lot of group research with both parents and have rules against online chat- events using their handhelds) children has shown that enhanced ting (84 percent) and instant Internet access is associated with 23% messaging (81 percent) in improvements in grades and school. school attitudes, including a 2003 10% • More than six in 10 districts (62 survey by Grunwald Associates Networkers (students with unusually large networks percent) have rules against par- of online friends) LLC. In any event, these findings ticipating in bulletin boards or suggest that schools need to find friends blogs; six in 10 (60 percent) also 42 ways to engage nonconformists in prohibit sending and receiving more creative activities for aca- 17 friends e-mail in school. demic learning. • More than half of all districts (52 percent) specifically prohibit Source: Grunwald Associates LLC

page 4 National School Boards Association any use of social networking Interestingly, districts that sites in school. report that their parents are influ- Still, despite the rules, there is ential in technology decision Teachers School district leaders report some officially sanctioned, educa- making are more active in social Requiring that teachers are now routinely assigning homework that tionally packaged social network- networking (71 percent vs. 59 Internet requires Internet use to complete, ing occurring in schools. Almost percent in districts with low Use for no longer allowing equity con- seven in 10 districts (69 percent) parental influence). Further, large, cerns to be a barrier: say they have student Web site urban and Western districts are Homework programs. Nearly half (49 per- typically more active users of cent) say their schools participate social networking than other Nearly all school districts (96%) say that at least in online collaborative projects districts. some of their teachers assign homework that with other schools, and almost as requires Internet use to complete. Students and parents report many (46 percent) say their stu- fewer recent or current problems, More than a third of all school districts ( ) dents participate in online pen pal 35% such as cyberstalking, cyberbully- say more than half of their teachers assign home- or other international programs. ing and unwelcome personal More than a third (35 percent) work that requires Internet use. encounters, than school fears and say their schools and/or students policies seem to imply. Only a More than nine out of 10 school districts of low run blogs, either officially or in minority of students has had any socioeconomic status ( ) say some of their the context of instruction. More 94% kind of negative experience with teachers assign Internet-based homework, and more than one in five districts (22 per- social networking in the last three than one in four of these districts ( ) say cent) say their classrooms are 27% months; even fewer parents report more than half of their teachers do so. involved in creating or maintain- that their children have had a ing wikis, Web sites that allow negative experience over a longer, Nearly all school districts (95%) say that at least visitors to add, remove or edit six-month period. some of their teachers are using Web pages to com- content. Most problems students and municate assignments, curriculum content and Many school districts also use parents report are similar to the other information. social networking for professional types of problems typically associ- purposes. For example, more than More than eight out of 10 school districts ( ) ated with any other media (televi- 88% one in four districts (27 percent) sion or popular music) or subscribe to online educational services or learning say their schools participate in a encountered in everyday life: management systems, or both. Of these subscribing structured teacher/principal • One in five students (20 per- districts, 87 percent allow students to access these online community. cent) say they have seen inap- services from home.

Creating & Connecting page 5 propriate pictures on social net- 3 percent of parents concur. or other personal information working sites in the last three Fewer than one in 30 students to strangers. Similar differences months; 11 percent of parents, (3 percent) say unwelcome occur between districts’ beliefs referring to their own children strangers have tried repeatedly and students’ and parents’ over the last six months, concur. to communicate with them reported experiences with inap- • Nearly one in five students (18 online; 3 percent of parents propriate material, cyberbully- percent) say they have seen concur. Only about one in 50 ing and other negative inappropriate language on social students (2 percent) say a incidents. networking sites; 16 percent of stranger they met online tried to parents concur. meet them in person; 2 percent • Personally directed incidents, of parents concur. Only .08 per- which are of serious concern to cent of all students say they’ve students, parents and educators, actually met someone in person are relatively rare. About one in from an online encounter with- 14 students (7 percent) out their parents’ permission. say someone has asked The vast majority of students, them for information then, seem to be living by the Only about their personal online safety behaviors they .08% identity on a social net- learn at home and at school. of all students say working site; 6 percent • School district leaders seem to of parents concur. believe that negative experiences they’ve actually About one in 14 stu- with social networking are more dents (7 percent) say common than students and par- met someone they’ve experienced self- ents report. For example, more defined cyberbullying; 5 than half of districts (52 per- in person from percent of parents con- cent) say that students provid- cur. About one in 25 ing personal information online an online encounter students (4 percent) say has been “a significant problem” they’ve had conversa- in their schools, yet only 3 per- without their tions on social network- cent of students say they’ve ever ing sites that made given out their e-mail addresses, parents’ permission. them uncomfortable; instant messaging screen names

page 6 National School Boards Association Creating & Connecting social networking will help stu- an educational tool. Both also // Expectations and dents “learn to express themselves demand an educational value and Interests better creatively” and “develop purpose as a requirement for global relationships.” social networking in school.
But district leaders are skepti- Nearly nine in 10 district leaders While a significant per- cal at this point about the educa- (87 percent) say “strong educa- centage of educators require their tional value of social networking. tional value and purpose” will be students to use the Internet for Fewer than one in three (29 per- a requirement for them to permit homework, school policies indi- cent) believe that social network- student access to any social net- cate that many are not yet con- ing could help students improve working site. Urban (89 percent) vinced about the value of social their reading or writing or express and rural (96 percent) districts networking as a useful educa- themselves more clearly (28 per- feel particularly strongly about tional tool or even as an effective cent). Somewhat more of them this, compared to their peers. communications tool. This may (36 percent) hope that social net- More than seven in 10 parents indicate that their experience with working will help students learn (72 percent) agree that educa- social networking is limited. to work together to solve aca- tional value and purpose are However, they are curious about demic problems. “important” or “very important.” its potential — a sign that there Parents, on the other hand, Large proportions of district may be some shifts in attitudes, have higher expectations. More leaders say that a strong emphasis policies and practices in the future. than three in four (76 percent) on collaborative and planned expect social networking to help activities (81 percent), strong Both schools and especially par- their children improve their read- tools for students to express ents have strong expectations ing and writing skills or express themselves (70 percent) and an about the positive roles that themselves more clearly; three out emphasis on bringing different social networking could play in of four (75 percent) also expect kinds of students together (69 students’ lives. District leaders say social networking to improve percent) would be required for they hope social networking will children’s ability to resolve con- them to buy into social network- help students “get outside the flicts. Almost as many (72 per- ing for school use. But most also box” in some way or another. cent) expect social networking to would insist on adult monitoring Nearly half of them (48 percent) improve their children’s social (85 percent) and would continue expect social networking to intro- skills as well. to prohibit chat and instant mes- duce students to “new and differ- saging (71 percent) as conditions ent kinds of students.” More than Both schools and parents are of social networking use in four in 10 (43 percent) hope interested in social networking as school.

Creating & Connecting page 7 Striking a Balance// including new technology. Clearly, Explore social networking sites. Guidance and both district leaders and parents Many adults, including school Recommendations for are open to believing that social board members, are like fish out School Board Members networking could be such a tool of water when it comes to this — as long as there are reasonable new online lifestyle. It’s important
parameters of use in place. for policymakers to see and try Parents and communities Moreover, social networking is out the kinds of creative commu- place faith in school board mem- increasingly used as a communi- nications and collaboration tools bers and educators to protect stu- cations and collaboration tool of that students are using — so that dents during the school day — choice in businesses and higher their perceptions and decisions and that means securing their education. As such, it would be about these tools are based on safety when they’re online. It is wise for schools, whose responsi- real experiences. appropriate, bility it is to prepare students to Consider using social networking then, for transition to adult life with the for staff communications and school boards skills they need to succeed in both Safety policies professional development. In dis- to approach arenas, to reckon with it. tricts where structured online social net- Finally, despite the large remain important, as professional communities exist, working with majorities of students who seem participation by teachers and thoughtful to be highly active social butter- does teaching students administrators is quite high. policies that flies online, equitable access is still Nearly six in 10 districts (59 per- maintain their a critical consideration for about online safety cent) say at least half of their staff parents’ and schools. It is incumbent on members participate, while nearly communities’ schools to recognize the silent and responsible online four in 10 (37 percent) say 90 trust. minority of students who do not percent or more do so. These At the same have easy access to computers, cell expression — but students findings indicate that educators time, parents phones and other devices com- find value in social networking — and communi- monly used for social networking. may learn these lessons and suggest that many already are ties also expect Here are some ways that comfortable and knowledgeable schools to take school board members could better while they’re enough to use social networking advantage of strike the appropriate balance for educational purposes with potentially between protecting their students actually using their students. powerful edu- and providing a 21st century edu- social networking tools. cational tools, cation: page 8 National School Boards Association Find ways to harness the educa- Pay attention to the noncon- but students may learn these les- tional value of social network- formists. The survey findings sons better while they’re actually ing. Some schools and educators identify this group of students as using social networking tools. are experimenting successfully highly engaged and skilled at Encourage social networking with chat rooms, instant messag- social networking and as an influ- companies to increase educa- ing, blogs, wikis and more for ential leadership cadre among tional value. Educational leaders after-school homework help, their peers. Yet they seem to be should work with social network- review sessions and collaborative lukewarm about traditional ing companies to increase services projects, for example. These activ- schoolwork and academics, per- that are explicitly educational in ities appeal to students — even haps because the allure of social nature, via informal or formal ini- students who are reluctant to par- networking is more compelling tiatives that highlight educational ticipate in the classroom. than traditional ways of learning. offerings. By reaching out to these students Ensure equitable access. Schools and tapping into their interests, have a role to play in closing the educators could yield a double digital divide with social network- benefit: a heads-up on the next ing, just as they have with new things that many other stu- Internet access. Most students dents are likely to gravitate to have some way to get online, online and improved academic either in their schools, at public results for the nonconformists. libraries or at home — as educa- tors apparently recognize when Reexamine social networking they assign homework that policies. Many schools initially requires Internet use. But educa- banned or restricted Internet use, tors will have to consider the only to ease up when the educa- often-impromptu exchanges and tional value of the Internet instant access that are characteris- became clear. The same is likely tic of social networking as they to be the case with social net- plan ways to incorporate it into working. Safety policies remain educational experiences. important, as does teaching stu- dents about online safety and responsible online expression —

Writing and design by Vockley•Lang

Creating & Connecting page 9 The National School Boards Association is a not-for-profit federa- tion of state associations of school boards across the United States. Our mission is to foster excellence and equity in public education through school board lead- ership. NSBA represents the nation’s 95,000 school board members that gov- ern 14,890 local school districts serving more than 47 million public school students.

The Technology Leadership Network (TLN) is NSBA’s district membership program designed for education leaders who estab- lish policies and implement tech- nology decisions that enhance teaching and learning, operations, and community outreach efforts.

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