In an age where our simplest daily
tasks are broadcasted for all to see it’s hard to understand how social media
can be a positive thing. However, many schools are now using these social media
outlets to their advantage, connecting with professional networks on a global
scale using these social media sites as a tool and additional resources for
valuable information that can be shared in the classroom. (Baxter, 2014) Most of all, through sites like
Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and many others we can connect and communicate
instantaneously with people who we may have never had a chance of meeting
before and who we may never actually meet with face-to-face. As long as you
spend the time and are interested in making the most out of these tools you
will get out of them what you put into them, and so will others. We learn from
others and others will learn from us.
I absolutely feel that this way of
teaching is worthwhile and will improve education in the future. This is also
an area where it seems the students are becoming experts at navigating before
the teacher, at this time, however it’s the teacher who guides the student to
use them to their ultimate educational benefit. Let’s look at one of the most
popular sites, Youtube. On you tube you can find videos on just about anything,
but it doesn’t mean that the information being provided in the video is
correct. As part of a Physical Education (PE) assignment I could student to
find a video that demonstrates sprinting techniques. In this video I can have
them analyze the video and describe what is correct and what is incorrect with
the performance in the video, based on the information we used in class.
Another option could be for a math class where students can find videos on new
way to remember a formula in order to complete a problem and share it with the
class via a classroom blog or Facebook page.
As teachers we need to move with
the times and help our students teach us what they know in order for us to
combine that with what we know!
Resources
Baxter, A. M.
(2014, May). Social Media Fosters Professional Learning and Collaboration. Learning
and Leading .
Hey Antonio!
ReplyDeleteI can see how there are pros and cons to using social media in the classroom. It allows for easy and quick communication among the teachers and students and also allows for collaboration among the students. It can also be accessed from many different locations and devices allowing for flexibility. The downside is if it is not used correctly. It could be a place that can lead to cyberbulling, inappropriate conduct, or an excuse for students to not engage with it in an educational sense. I think overall though if teachers emphasis its use for educational purposes and discus social media safety, that it could be a highly beneficial tool.
I personally have not had classes that use social media forms like Facebook or Twitter. Perhaps this is because they became more popular when I was in college and they be more widely used in middle or high school. I have had many classes use Youtube which can add to a lecture in terms of offering a new way of learning the information. I like your ideas for how you would implement social media in your classroom! Using these tools allows for a new perspective on learning and sharing in the classroom.
Good luck with your future studies!
I think your second paragraph is a really great representation of your ideas. I think using you tube and social media to have the kids find videos of sports, techniques, or games to analyze sounds like a great idea. I personally would have a hard time separating class from Facebook. I would be on my class Facebook and end up getting distracted and end up on my own personal Facebook. I don't care for Twitter so I would have a hard time if my teacher required us to use that as part of the class. Overall I really like your analysis of the articles and the way you expressed your ideas. Great Job :)
ReplyDeleteWell, how would everyone break down the barriers of using Facebook and Twitter as strictly personal? Obviously they would each be separate, but I'm sure there can be exercises done to make one clearly educational and another personal. For example, an English teacher could have students tweet about main ideas within a given chapter assignment, in which each following student must build upon that. This could expose different themes and perspectives. Facebooks could be re-created as a book character , profiles and posts can reflect readings and graded based on their depth and consistency. Imagine each student assigned a different character to base their Facebook on?
ReplyDeleteJessica Aykroid aykro001@cougars.csusm.edu
ReplyDeleteAntonio,
ReplyDeleteCool post about using social media in the classroom! I loved the ideas you set forward in your second paragraph. I think, as a future teacher, i will use blog sights the most. YouTube will also come in handy. Through another assignment we did in this class, it looks like twitter is also an interesting resource, and since i know most of my future students will be on twitter, i think using it in the classroom will be making the most out of it. Along with using social media in the classroom, i think that every teacher needs to teach their students about being digitally responsible and respectful. If we are going to use these tools to our advantage and become part of that world for our students, then teaching them the proper online etiquette is going to be of the upmost importance.
Overall, awesome job! i enjoyed reading your post :)