Starting a Ning network for my faculty and staff

I just created a Ning social network for the faculty and staff at my school. So far 20 teachers (out of about 120) have signed up. I'm not sure if I should be encouraged or disappointed about that...

I think the big challenge is to show teachers that the network is a valuable and productive use of their time. If I don't do that quickly it is going to fade away. People are starting to post some pictures and I've started a discussion about how to use the network.

Do you have other ideas about how I can kick start my network to get it going. I know from my experience here, that once a critical mass of people really start using the space it will start to sustain itself. Any suggestions for how to get it going would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
-Liz

Tags: socialnetworking

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Cyndi Danner-Kuhn on November 9, 2008 at 10:12am

It is the same problem, just different tools. Agree!!

I am not sure what the solution is, but I do know that it starts with leadership. In schools like Chrs Lehmann's or Steve Truss where the Principal is the principle learner and does not expect his teachers to do anything he doesn't do himself. The leader is setting the example, practicing what he preaches and walking the walk and not just talking the talk. I would like to spend a day in their building because I suspect they aren't experiencing what we are discussing. There is also a video on Tech Integration in the Edutopia site from a school called Mary Scroggs Elementary. Just amazing!

I do think teachers in K-12 are under so much pressure from the testing that they are forgetting to be the truly great teachers they once were. And new teachers right outta college don't have a chance. It just sucks. What happened to the joy of learning.

A professor here at Kansas State, Michael Wesch is doing amazing things in his Cultural Anthropolgy class. It is a geneal education class and he has 200 students in a section. Im sure many of you have seen his videos on YouTube------

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE
The Machine is Using Us

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o
A Vision of Students Today

But I had the pleasure of attending a presentation he did about teaching and technology last week. I used a Flip video camera and recorded some of the Question & Answer time. You can view them from my website- nothing fancy, but he makes some good points http://www.cyndidannerkuhn.info/CDK/Movies.html. I left his session wanting to take his class and excited to learn more!! How often do student leave classes feeling that way?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on November 9, 2008 at 11:51am

BTW, I'm from OP, KS.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ann E Darling on November 7, 2008 at 8:16pm

How about having a guest blogger(from within your ning community) each week? Lots of people will be willing to contribute if the option of dividing up the work load is available and because they all would like to receive comments when its their turn, they may be more likely to comment too.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by una raimondo on November 9, 2008 at 10:28am

Getting teachers to read is not a problem ref. blogging or wikis. However, the issue continues to remain if we join a social network eg. Ning does this mean that my administrator is asking me to work more? Do you have planning time during your instructional day to allow teachers to engage and think? I believe this might be very helpful. At my school we do not and this is impacting the spread of 21st century skills. Would'nt you know??

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cyndi Danner-Kuhn on November 9, 2008 at 11:15am

I think you may have hit a nail on the head, time to do so. I teach at the university level in the college of ed and we do have time for research and learning, so t=there should be no excuses there!! But there its!!