Rhonda Cannon

EDU-225
January 20, 2016
Instructor: Jeff Martin
Technology to Support Communication
Introduction
Gone are the days of attaching a note to your students clothes with a safety pin. We no
longer have to remind our students that we need to speak with their parents. And we do not have
to make phone calls to communicate these days. Communication with parents, students, and the
Global community have become a simple tasks for teachers in the modern classroom. Social
media has become a familiar tool to this generation of students. They Tweet, Facebook,
Instagram, and Blog (Beatty, M., nd). All pertinent information and/or instructions can be
delivered to parents, students, and the Global community with minimal effort. I am going to
discuss ways that we can use technology to support communication between the teacher, parents,
students, and the Global community. I will also talk about Internet security and safety.
Technology to Enhance Communication
Parental communication is a key factor in the educational growth of students. In a study
performed by Christine Olmstead, the following conclusion was reached:
Most types of proactive involvement can be fostered through the use of technology. The
data revealed that both parents and teachers perceived that technology is an effective tool
used to promote parent involvement. The data also showed that it is important that
teachers choose the right type of method to deliver information to parents, depending on
the subject. Teachers also need to be cognizant of language barriers that may preclude

some parents from being involved. Although there were some differences between the
parents and teachers in how technology was used to keep parents connected to school,
overall, parents and teachers valued the use of technology for parent involvement.
(Olmstead, 2013).
Since we have determined that good parental involvement stems from communication, lets take
a look at some different methods, or tools of communication.
Communication Tools
A few of todays communication tools includes the use of E-mail, Google Blogs (Blogger), and
Remind 101. The first tool we will discuss is E-mail. An appropriate beginning since Email was
one of the original features of the Internet. E-mail enables administrators, teachers, and
students to communicate with millions of Internet users all over the world (Gunter & Gunter
(2015). Teachers discovering computers: Integrating technology in a connected world. Our
second tool is Google Blogs or Blogger. Blogs promote interactive learning communities in the
classroom. Blogs provide educators with another tool to implement technology standards and
curriculum to prepare students to become digital citizens who are technologically literate
(Beatty, nd). Our last tool is the use of Remind 101. Remind 101 allows for pre-planned
communication and is a great classroom communication tool. This tool allows teachers to
remind students, and parents, of assignments that are coming due. (Bobbitt, Inman, Bertrand,
2013)
Internet Security and Safety
No matter what type of technology is used to communicate with parents, students, and the
Global Community, teachers must be careful to ensure the safety of their students and their
personal information. Connecting to the Internet through any means puts the user and their

information at risk of unauthorized access. Not only are teachers to ensure the safety of their
students, teachers also need to teach the students how to protect themselves from the potential
dangers of Internet usage. Internet security and safety should be taught to students as soon they
are introduced to technology.
Conclusion
Now that we have discussed a few types of communication tools, and the importance of
internet security and safety, we must remember that it is up to the teachers to determine which
tool works best for them, their classrooms, and students. Some teachers may chose a single tool,
while others may chose multiple tools to accommodate the different needs of their students. No
matter which tool(s) they chose, the fact that they are communicating with parents, students, and
the Global Community is all that matters. Remember, Technology is Used to Support
Communication.

(mrsrcannon.weebly.com)

References

Beatty, M. (nd). Integrating Google Blogs into the K-6 Language Arts Classroom To Promote
Interactive Learning Communities, located on the ScholarSpace website. Retrieved from
http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/handle/10125/27119/Beatty.pdf
Bobbitt, Inman, and Bertrand (2013) Using Remind 101 as a Classroom: Communication Tool,
from the NACTA Journal. Retrieved from
http://library.gcu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=ehh&AN=93664297&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Gunter, G., & Gunter, R. (2015). Teachers discovering computers: Integrating technology in a
connected world (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. ISBN-13: 9781285845432
http://gcumedia.com/digital-resources/cengage/2014/teachers-discoveringcomputers_integrating-technology-in-a-changing-world_ebook_8e.php

Olmstead, C. (2013). Using Technology to Increase Parent Involvement in Schools. Techtrends:

Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 57(6), 28-37. doi:10.1007/s11528-013-06990. Retrieved from
https://lopesidmoclcorg.library.gcu.edu:2443/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=ehh&AN=91587612&site=ehostlive&scope=site