Social Media Policy

You may have heard or read recently that the Department of Education and Child Development (DECD) has released a social media policy and guidelines, providing practical advice about how schools can use and manage social media. www.decd.sa.gov.au/socialmedia This advice covers protecting student and staff privacy, and defining the boundaries for staff in their interactions with students when using social networking sites such as Facebook.

Victor Harbor High School is considering how we may use social media in the future. As the principal, I have attended workshops which have addressed the use of Facebook, Twitter, Linkin, Google, Blogs, YouTube. You Tube presents some exciting learning potential. The production of a 2-3 minute You Tube is a challenging literacy activity. I have asked a mentor teacher and their class to produce some You Tube events on current issues affecting young people such as cyber bullying.  The class has been set up to replicate an authentic organisation. Students are undertaking a range of roles including story board preparation, journalism, graphic design, research and film making.

If you are reading this, you would know I have chosen to use the school's website through a blog to keep families and the local community informed of our exciting activities/ initiatives. We also keep families informed via the school Newsletter /newsletters

The DECD social media website www.decd.sa.gov.au/socialmedia provides guidance on how to go about reporting offensive social media sites.

To find out more about the new DECD Social Media Policy and Guidelines plus useful support resources, go to www.decd.sa.gov.au/socialmedia.

Until next time ....