Ex-Myspace head develops first social media course for schools

Entitled Social Media Fundamentals, this is the first time social media will be taught in secondary courses.

Davis aims to explain the rise and relevance of social media including networking sites and integrate core subjects such as English and Maths at the same time.

Davis helped to launch MySpace in the UK as well as BBC Radio’s 1Xtra. He was former Marketing and Content Producer/Head of Urban Marketing of MySpace from 2006- 2009.

However he was diagnosed with repetitive strain injury in 2007, making it almost impossible for him to complete his day-to-day tasks.

After a major operation on his hands and weekly physiotherapy sessions he is under strict doctor’s orders to avoid typing at all costs. Forced to completely change his lifestyle, Davis developed the social media course as something he can deliver verbally.

London’s Bishop Challoner Catholic School is the first school to book Davis’ services. He will deliver a four-week course from 21st September that will take place for two hours on Thursday afternoons with additional one-day workshops starting this June.

Students will be required to submit a reason for being on the course, and the application will work as part of their GCSE coursework requirement.

Thirty will be chosen and the fact they have had to work to get onto the course, means only those most eager to learn will be involved.

Davis has worked alongside Heads Of Faculty to devise a course tailored specifically for the needs of the school. In this case, the students will plan the school’s end of year music event.

Davis has developed lesson plans that look at planning an imaginary event, writing for web, and fundamental social networking skills that will eventually be used on a real event. As part of the course, Davis will invite former contacts from the music/media industry to share their experiences with the children.

James Chinery, Head Of Boys English, Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School said: “Social networking is one of the major media phenomenons of our times and could be a key factor in helping us to equip our pupils with the skills they’ll need for the real world. Andrew, with his experience from MySpace is well placed to explain how the Internet and social networking sites can be used positively in their future careers.

“As a positive role model and someone who has achieved success in a field respected and idolised by teenage students, he is able to engage and work with the students in a way that is not available to teachers charged with managing multiple classes.  He is also going to demonstrate how the core skills we teach such as Maths and English (numeracy and literacy) still form the backbone of any communication whether written, texted or online!  It is this fresh approach that makes his course so appealing, as it is a course that delivers the key elements of core subjects in a way that is innovative, exciting and entertaining for the students"

Davis will shape courses differently to each school so for one he may demonstrate how social networking can help in the creation of school websites for another, events or activities.

To market his services as a consultant, Davis has developed a regular series of digital video podcasts (vlogs) and a blog site, which is dedicated in part to social media and can be found at www.twks.co.uk.

The Guardian newspaper ranked Davis number 17 in its 2007 ‘Minority Report’ – a countdown of the Top 30 most important ethnic minority contributors to the British media industry. He was the only entrant aged under 30.

 Davis followed this up in 2008 by becoming the only person listed in both the Media Week Top ‘30 under 30’ rundown of the most talented individuals in the UK and Broadcast magazine’s ‘Hot Shots’ list of media insiders tipped for future success.

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