I agree that creating a website can be overwhelming, even when using sites like Weebly or Google Sites, which provide users with templates and drag-and-drop functionality. Bandwidth and time are key factors when it comes to Lenora’s situation which compound the difficulty she will encounter trying to build her site. Assuming that increasing her bandwidth is not an option, then I believe that Lenora should look in a different direction to get the anti-bullying resource online.
Social Media offers Lenora various avenues that are easier to manage and require lower bandwidth. Lenora could create a blog (perhaps through her organizations website) which would allow her to post ideas and suggestions from other teachers and have followers respond. The dialogue could become an invaluable resource in the anti-bullying discussion and may prove to be more meaningful then a traditional website.
In addition, Lenora could create a Facebook group and a professional Twitter handle to post/tweet links to relevant material online. Both Facebook and Twitter require a much smaller bandwidth and can be accomplished on a mobile device. Through the Cradleboard Teaching Project Teacher’s Circle, Lenora could quickly amass a large number of followers and have her circle of influence grow quick rapidly.
Because blogging, Facebook and Twitter are all mobile platforms, Lenora could accomplish a lot of her online work while at work or after school. This would allow for more ‘family’ time when she got home. Ease of use, and easy access are features that I believe will help Lenora is spreading her message.
Great idea with the use of Facebook, Mark, for her primary resource. That would definitely be a good ‘soft intro’ to the use of websites, for both her and the educators accessing it.
Hi Mark,
I like how you considered ease of use when addressing this case study; I think it is a key point to consider when finding a solution to fit Lenora’s situation. I think many great initiatives never make it out of the development phase because their creators get discouraged by choosing a platform that they can’t quite manage. That’s not to say I think people shouldn’t challenge themselves and advance their skills. Rather, I think starting within or just above your skillset, then tackling more complex tasks as your skillset improves increases the likelihood of an initiative such as Lenora’s getting off the ground.
Your suggestion to use Facebook and Twitter is something I originally discounted as a solution, but I do admit that social media can reach a large audience. While social media is easy to use, I always worry about the potential lack of privacy. While Lenora’s resources certainly aren’t a secret, I’ve seen many public Facebook posts, for example, blow up when someone not involved makes an insensitive or inflammatory comment. Would you suggest that Lenora make the group private, or do you think a private group would be detrimental to Lenora’s goal to share relevant information? Does she necessarily have to gain a wide (and public) influence on social media to achieve her goal? Maybe I’m going overboard on my privacy concerns, but I’m interested in discovering your take on the subject of privacy vs influence and reach.