Section 2: Communication Plan

https://nwatsk-3homeroom.weebly.com/

Introduction
As society continuously changes how humans react to certain situations, technology

changes the way we communicate our personal beliefs, opinions, needs, and other information.

Decades ago, teachers would communicate information about their students’ progress and

behavior changes by sending home written letters, making phone calls, and setting up PTA

meetings. Technology has certainly changed the way communication is processed, by making it

more effortless by using social networking, web pages, emails, blog posts, and so on. There is no

doubt that parent participation fosters student success, and I firmly believe that technology has

played a vital role in increasing this participation.

A Better Understanding

To gain a better understanding of how technology enables parent teacher communication,

we turn to Internet-based research. According to Suren Ramasubbu’s blog post “Using

Technology to Enable Parent Teacher Communication”, “Technology allows parent-teacher

interactions to be practical, positive, and personal. Technology mediated communications tools

such as video conferencing, phone conferencing, online chats, and emails are already being

discovered as efficient mediums to enhance school/home communication that allows teachers,

parents, and students to stay connected and informed” (Ramasubbu, 2015). Mobile apps are also

making a way into schools and classrooms across the nation, and they are increasingly being

accepted as a communication medium. I strongly believe these apps are extremely efficient and
convenient, and I have personally used one in my prior teaching experience to relay pictures,

messages, and lesson plan activities to the parents in my classroom.

Technology Leading to Cultural Change?

Almost everyone has a smart phone nowadays, keeping engagement with all groups in

the educational community possible. However, classrooms are a lot more diverse than they were

several years ago, so how do we as educators teach foreign students how to use electronic

devices when they have never seen or used one? Practice and a lot of patience. Since technology

plays a crucial role in communication in the classroom, so does understanding of how to utilize

it. A study conducted in Ethiopia found 3 reasons why introduction of technology would lead to

a huge cultural change- a) operation of a basic laptop requires complicated actions that children

would have to master on their own, b) the effects of computing technology would cause a change

in social relations, and c) ownership of such a valuable product may immensely change the

parent-child relationship. According to this study, these 3 reasons alone would provide “a unique

opportunity to investigate how self-construal and cultural value change is instigated by

technology in an environment in which there was virtually none previously” (Hansen; Postmes;

van der Vinne; van Thiel, 2012).

Internet Safety and Security

In a periodical written by Max K. Frazier, the “Internet is a great frontier, much like the

western frontier of the 19th century- a place that must be explored, charted, and eventually

tamed” (Frazier, 1995). Although the Internet has revolutionized communication and provided

powerful educational tools for student learning, it has also created risks and opportunities for
illegal, inappropriate, and unsafe behavior among all users. Teaching Internet safety is

paramount, not only in the classroom, but teaching critical thinking skills on how to be safe and

making ethical decisions is just as important. As a future educator, I plan to utilize professional

development tools that integrate Internet safety into the curriculum, and work with social

networking tools to demonstrate to students how to be good digital citizens. My classroom

webpage is a place where students can go to view upcoming assignments, enhance reading skills

by playing an app, and look at the school’s menu for the week. Parents can also leave me a

message on my blog page, send me an email, or leave comments or concerns. I am always open

to communicating with the parents in my classroom today and of the future.

References

Frazier, Max K. (1995). Caution: Students on Board the Internet. Educational Leadership.

Oct95, Vol. 53, Issue 2, p66. Retrieved from

https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ulh

&AN=9510131785&site=eds-live&scope=site

Hansen, Nina; Potmes, Tom. (2012). Information and Communication Technology and Cultural

Change How ICT Changes Self-Construal and Values. Social Psychology. 2012, 43 4, p222-

p231. Retrieved from

https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eds

wss&AN=000310661500008&site=eds-live&scope=site
Ramasubbu, Suren. (2015). Using Technology to Enable Parent Teacher Communication.

Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/suren-ramasubbu/using-technology-to-

enabl_b_6479766.html