SOCIAL MEDIA IN TRAVEL
The Montclair Kimberley Academy’s Irish Studies Program

TAKE AWAYS
• Reasons & benefits of using
social media in travel
programs and in schools
• What tools to use
• Challenges faced
• Conversations to have

PROGRAM HISTORY

PROGRAM HISTORY

PROGRAM HISTORY

PROGRAM HISTORY

PROGRAM HISTORY

PROGRAM HISTORY

CONTENT FORMAT 1999-2008
• 1999-2008
• Static content
• Updates when access
available
• Zero Interaction
• Tools
• iMovie, Photoshop,
PageSpinner (HTML
editor), web server

CONTENT FORMAT 2009
• Current Format - 2009
• Social format - blog/micro-blog
• Multiple daily updates
• Viewer interaction
• http://irish2009.mka/org
• Tools
• Twitter, iMovie, iPhoto,
WordPress, Flickr, YouTube,
iPhone

REASONS
• Greater level of
communications and
interaction with audience

REASONS
• More authentic voice to
student work, true authors
of written, photographic
and video content

REASONS
• Promotion of school
program beyond the walls
of the school - Going
global with reach

REASONS
• Actual
contribution to
knowledge base on topic

CHALLENGES
• Establishing & setting-up social
media tools
• WordPress (site/server)
• Twitter
• YouTube Channel
• Flickr PhotoStream

CHALLENGES
• Learningnew tools,
understanding the use of tags,
hash tags and Creative
Commons licensing

CHALLENGES
• Connectivity- Need for
consistent broadband and/or
3G access in order to post
content

STATISTICS*
• WordPress
• Total Views: 3,389
• Busiest Day: 281 - Friday May 22nd
• Twitter
• 98 posts** (Average 7 per day)
• 119 followers
• YouTube
• 7 videos posted
• 81 videos viewed
• Flickr
• 1,138 items / 3,652 views (4.1GB)
* Better statistical analysis needs to be done. **
Post while in country

IMPACT & REACTIONS
• Greater awareness of
social media tools and the
use of Twitter as a
communications tool
(discussion, debate &
curricular application)

IMPACT & REACTIONS
• Parents, studentsand
followers feeling more
connected to the program
“What wonderful tools
these were and what
wonderful places you visited
and experienced.”

IMPACT & REACTIONS
• Greaterinterest from
cooperating partners to
expand program reach and
influence

IMPACT & REACTIONS
• Student interest and
engagement in course
work and development
of products and
artifacts.

IMPACT & REACTIONS
• Movement to use blogging
format for other school
programs and publications

OTHER PROGRAMS
• Habitat
for Humanity -
Guatemala
• http://
blogs.montclairkimberley
.org/guatemala/
• Chinese May Term
• http://
blogs.montclairkimberley
.org/china/

FACEBOOK
• Created a Facebook
group page for
connecting and
communicating with
Alumni from the trip

“I just wanted to offer my sincere thanks to you all for providing
what I know is Graham's most enriching and memorable
experience of his high school career. I am sure the trip will
remain one of his most unforgettable lifetime experiences as
well.
We traveled with you all vicariously as we followed the blog posts,
tweets, photos and videos. What wonderful tools these were and
what wonderful places you visited and experienced.
Thank you again for your willingness to travel abroad with 20
teenagers (not something most of us would undertake). I hope you
all have a wonderful summer.”
- - Janet Anderson

William Stites
Director of Technology
The Montclair Kimberley Academy
wstites@mka.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/wstites
http://twitter.com/irishstudies
973-509-4595