Comments by Sarah Bocks Most recent public comments by Sarah Bocks https://nowcomment.com/users/96943 Student Clubs + Online Affinity Networks https://nowcomment.com/documents/132976?scroll_to=2214426 https://nowcomment.com/documents/132976?scroll_to=2214426 In most schools it seems that you can find numerous opportunities for athletes, choir singers, theater students, and even the engineering students to participate in extracurricular activities. It would be interesting to do a survey of students in a large school like mine (2,200 students) and see how many participate in some type of online community. How could we then bring in student-run clubs to compliment their online activity and connect students to others in the school to whom they might not have realized they have a shared interest? Fri, 27 Nov 2020 19:29:42 -0500 It's about understanding https://nowcomment.com/documents/132976?scroll_to=2214423 https://nowcomment.com/documents/132976?scroll_to=2214423 Sarah I believe you're right. It's really about understanding. I think about media perception of online groups or of kids being "brainwashed." It seems that only the most extreme and negative results are the ones reported on, so older folks draw conclusions from what is written about through traditional media without taking the time to understand the online communities. Fri, 27 Nov 2020 19:25:39 -0500 On the flip side, students might dive into online communities because that's the only place they do feel safe. For kids who may otherwise be seen as "outsiders," online networks may be the only place they find peers. https://nowcomment.com/documents/132976?scroll_to=2214422 https://nowcomment.com/documents/132976?scroll_to=2214422 Fri, 27 Nov 2020 19:22:52 -0500 Bridging the Gap https://nowcomment.com/documents/132976?scroll_to=2214421 https://nowcomment.com/documents/132976?scroll_to=2214421 I worry about students becoming more isolated from their schools, families, or peers if they find that online affinity networks are the only place that they can truly connect with others. I think a lot of this has to do with teachers and parents being unaware of students' outside interests. We would need to be intentional about bringing in opportunities for students to share their outside interests into the classroom. Could a genius hour type structure allow for this? Mon, 30 Nov 2020 06:25:20 -0500 Technology changes rapidly https://nowcomment.com/documents/132976?scroll_to=2214420 https://nowcomment.com/documents/132976?scroll_to=2214420 Technology changes rapidly and I think some people from older generations struggle to keep up with the tech and may not understand the allure of gaming or online affinity networks. It can be hard to support someone else's interests or hobbies if you truly don't understand the purpose or interest. Fri, 27 Nov 2020 19:16:30 -0500