Does Social Media Belong in the Classroom?
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| https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/social-media-tools-for-education/ |
Did you know that 78% of teenagers have a cellphone? That means that at any time, anywhere, they are connected to world by their fingertips. While students are using the internet for research and basic inquiry needs, The Washington Post recent posted that teens are spending more than one third of their day engaged in online videos, music, and social media... That's more than 9 hours per day! Throughout the United States, school districts are banning cellphones and internet sites galore. Instead of fighting against the "norm", how about working with students to incorporate social media appropriately within a classroom setting? Students are using social media as a way to socially connect and engage outside of school with "friends" and game users all around the world. Let's begin to explore this idea and try to safely intertwine social media into the classroom setting; allowing students to connect and engage on a different level other than what they would experience only face-to-face.
Participation: Students who would normally feel intimated or shy about engaging could become more comfortable with interacting and discussing their ideas through their online identity. The more students engage, the more successful they become in mastering the content.
Collaboration: Need to share a link with your students quickly? Social media can be a great tool to push out content immediately to all students using a simple hashtag or sign-in.
Common Ground: Parents, students, and teacher can all be on the same page. While connecting students is essential, parental interaction and engagement within the classroom is critical in student success. What better way than giving them their own lens into the room through a digital filter.
Time Management: As many of us know, it is common for us to go online looking for one thing and end up scrolling through different content for more than initial wanted time. Students focus to one area can be jeopardized by the natural flow of unorganized chaos created on social media.
Cyber Bullying: Increasing the target for some students to be bullied further is a scary thought. The Cyberbullying Research Center reported that over half of adolescents have been bullied online. It continued on to say that 1 in 3 students have encountered being threatened online by a classmate. These statistics are the reality of the internet in our current generation unfortunately.
With most things in education, it is left up to each individual teacher to choose their comfort level of integration of social media in their classroom. Social media can be an incredible tool which connect students on a local basis, as well as globally. Do your research and plan for potential problems before introducing your level of social media in your classroom. Furthermore, participate in common chats with other educators who use social media often. Lastly, be willing to learn. More often than not, students are ahead of the times; listen to their ideas, incorporate their interests, and be aware of what is going on in your classroom (and online) as much as possible.
Reference Links
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/11/03/teens-spend-nearly-nine-hours-every-day-consuming-media/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.7f94b7a6bbd0
http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/cyber-bullying-statistics.html
Where do I even start?
Create a plan for integration... write it, rehearse it, and be sure to perform a trial run. While technology can be unpredictable a times, preparing for different scenarios is the best way to be ahead of the game. Write a guide for what social media looks like in your classroom. Be explicit with your expectations from day one. If you want students to engage and interact, model it. If you want students to sit back and participate when they feel comfortable, relay that. Uncontrolled and unfiltered social media can become an opportunity for cyber-bulling and unrelated negative web content to enter your classroom walls, be sure to have a solid plan.
Interested in more?? Check these out...
What are some of the pros to bring social media in the classroom?
Communication: Creating an avenue for students to easily contact each other for school projects, discussions, or questions in general outside of the normal classroom setting.Participation: Students who would normally feel intimated or shy about engaging could become more comfortable with interacting and discussing their ideas through their online identity. The more students engage, the more successful they become in mastering the content.
Collaboration: Need to share a link with your students quickly? Social media can be a great tool to push out content immediately to all students using a simple hashtag or sign-in.
Common Ground: Parents, students, and teacher can all be on the same page. While connecting students is essential, parental interaction and engagement within the classroom is critical in student success. What better way than giving them their own lens into the room through a digital filter.
TedX Talks: Harry Dyer -- Incorporating and Accounting for Social Media in Education
"Harry discusses how the study of Social Media can help us better understand how youth are acting and interacting both online and offline, how young people adeptly navigate a growing and increasingly diverse assortment of social media, and how we can (and must) incorporate and account for social media in the classroom. Against the many calls and social panics insisting that we tell children to ‘disconnect’ from technology. Harry calls for an acceptance of the reality of Social Media and the inextricably enmeshed nature of the online and offline. He highlights the increasingly important and positive role it plays in young people’s lives, how we can better understand Social Media and young people’s relationship with it, and how we can incorporate and utilize their Social Media skills in education."
And of course, there have to be cons...
Distractions: A major conflict between teacher and student could arise when students become easily distracted or sidetracked by media's while expected to be on task and focused.
Time Management: As many of us know, it is common for us to go online looking for one thing and end up scrolling through different content for more than initial wanted time. Students focus to one area can be jeopardized by the natural flow of unorganized chaos created on social media.So, should teachers use social media in the classroom?
With most things in education, it is left up to each individual teacher to choose their comfort level of integration of social media in their classroom. Social media can be an incredible tool which connect students on a local basis, as well as globally. Do your research and plan for potential problems before introducing your level of social media in your classroom. Furthermore, participate in common chats with other educators who use social media often. Lastly, be willing to learn. More often than not, students are ahead of the times; listen to their ideas, incorporate their interests, and be aware of what is going on in your classroom (and online) as much as possible.Your Thoughts...
Are you currently using social media in your classroom? To what extent? Does your district have a policy about social media within the school? Do you have any advice or tips for educators just starting out? Leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!
Reference Links
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/11/03/teens-spend-nearly-nine-hours-every-day-consuming-media/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.7f94b7a6bbd0
http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/cyber-bullying-statistics.html
Hi Mrs. Rutzler!
ReplyDeleteI thought your blog post was thought provoking and relevant! Be explicit, model, and then set the stage to engage when integrating social media. I also like that you addressed possible questions that readers may have, i.e. cyberbullying, and told them to have a plan of action to combat the issue. Then, you embedded links for your readers to access to gather further information-so thoughtful!
I also liked that you addressed the pros to social media integration. When teachers know the "why" behind concepts, they re more likely to adapt the concept in their classroom. You informed teachers that social media fosters communication, participation, collaboration, and allows parents, teachers and students to meet on a common platform.
In summary your post was informative and helps teachers use a common platform in their classrooms. Also, I love the graphic at the bottom that spells out your name- how did you do that?! I must know!
Best,
Liz Davidson
Thank you for your informative comment! I read blogs often and love when the blogger includes how they would implement in their own classroom. It gives me ideas of how I can bring it into my own. Because of this, I chose to structure this blog in that way!
DeleteWhat grade do you teach? Have you implemented social media in your classroom at all-- Any tricks or tips you would give to others? Privacy and safety seem to be big concerns.
My signature I made on a website for animated signatures- I searched on google for one. Let me know if you need help!
Thanks again for your sweet comments! I appreciate them always.
Hi Mrs. Rutzler!
ReplyDeleteI was very intrigued to read about your perspective and experiences with social media in the classroom! I teach first grade, and a majority of my students have cell phones at age 6 or 7. Although this might be surprising, it goes to show how fast technology use and access is growing. I have even had some of my students tell me that they have Snapchat or Facebook!
I think that you explained the benefits, critical guidelines, and cons of using social media in the classroom. I also think social media use would be extremely engaging and exciting for students, especially in Middle School or High School. If the guidelines and expectations are correctly modeled, monitored, and used effectively it could be an amazing educational outlet for students to be a part of.
Do you currently use social media in the classroom? If so, I would love to hear about what types of activities or assignments that they have done.
Thanks for sharing!
Jen
Hi Jen! I do not currently use SM in the classroom, I'm pretty nervous about it. I am worried about monitoring, as well as the safety and privacy of my students. I teach middle school, which makes me hesitant-- they are gaining maturity, but we still struggle with everyday bullying and immaturity. I have had students collaborate through VoiceThread and Desmos, or a discussion board through out LMS- But not through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or a platform similar. Have you used any of them at all? Would you recommend one over another?
Delete