TriState '09: Internet Camp Director - Staff

The Internet Will Make You a Better Camp Director, Section 2 - Staff

The book Grown Up Digital (by Don Tapscott GrownUpDigital.com) has been a brilliant resource this year.  It made me think about ways we are working with our staff - the digital natives.  Tapscott calls them the NetGen.

• We have been using email to communicate w. staff BUT they don’t read it, and don’t respond.
• Cell Phones - Ask Them For Their Mobile # - one of our changes this year - Tell them will be contacting 1/6 doz times before camps. Our thinking: Go to them on the medium they are using
• Use Text Messages to get RSVP’s to pre camp events
• Another idea: Tatango.com Broadcast texts from the web - US only
• Social Media - Ask for their social media addresses (be sure to tell them that it's not required but they will likely give to you because NetGenners don't hide. Ask for Youtube, Vimeo, Twitter, Flickr, etc.
•  - Ask your staff for any Camp related Facebook Groups (you should already know the answer to this)

Privacy - Let’s teach these NetGenners something about privacy. I recommend you refer them to http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/02/facebook-privacy/
Resume - One of my biggest take-aways from Grown up Digital was Tapscott’s idea about a new format for a resume that better tells the story of a Net Genner’s work history.   We often talk about resume writing with staff as part of the life lessons we try to give them through the summer (ie. waltzing, how to shake a hand, etc.). Happily this also works well for former Camp Directors, too, because it is so hard for us to tell the story of all of our skills.  People don’t believe you when you say  “I can do anything or I can learn how to do it”.  Tapscott says to answer these 8 questions:

1. What I Know
2. Where I’ve Done It
3. How I Got This Knowledge
4. Who I Know and What they Know
5. What I Want To Learn
6. Who I Want to Meet
7. What I Want To Create
8. What Would Help Me Be Most Productive

To see an example of a resume in this style you can look at my CV on the web [click here for web version - http://travisallison.org/curriculum-vitae/] or as a downloadable Pdf [Download Travis Allison - CV ].
Google Apps - Using the free tools available through Google Apps you can make webpages to create tests for pre-camp training or surveys for your families. [click here for the instructions]
Moodle - Moodle.com is an online teaching resource with video, tests, etc.  It is hosted on your website.
Key To School - Keytoschool.com is a free version of Moodle.com that they will host for you so you don’t have to got through setting it up on your serve.

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Comments

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Great Post - I love Grown Up Digital. If anyone is lazy and wants to listen to a podcast or online audio with the author Don Tapscott - here is a link http://twit.tv/natn79.

Jennifer H. Selke, Ph.D.
http://thecampdirector.com
http://twitter.com/jennselke