On their own, photos and videos are not a reliable source of information about what is taking place in a school. It’s easy to react emotionally or with outrage to a video of a fight, a child being picked on, or some other display of abuse or wrongdoing. But everyone knows from highly publicized incidents posted on YouTube, Twitter, or other social media sites that photos and videos can be taken out of context. They tell a story, but they don’t tell the whole story. Even so, they can be used by administrators to discern whether the action shown in the photo or video is an isolated incident or could be a symptom of a larger problem. If an alarming photo or video taken at a school is receiving attention from the media, it’s better to talk about it with the school community as soon as possible than to pretend it didn’t happen. Situations like these create an opportunity to examine and share other sources of data about school safety, violence, and victimization. Too often, one incident can cause the public to draw conclusions about a school that are not accurate. That’s why a monitoring system is necessary— to put such an incident in context. Administrators who can refer to other sources of data regarding violence, drug use, or weapons can respond with more confidence when faced with criticism over one incident. As part of a monitoring system, photos, videos and other technology can be used for positive purposes. They allow students who might skip questions on a survey or don’t want to speak up during a focus group to express themselves in a different way. There are many examples of projects in which students are given cameras and microphones and encouraged to express themselves and present their experiences in school through this media. In addition to the individual students benefitting from such experiences, school leaders, staff members, and parents get the opportunity to see the school from the students’ perspectives.
KEKANG SUBALTERN DALAM NEGASI MEDIA TENTANG SYIAH: