Social media has seemed to take over the world. At first,
the social media world was introduced to the younger population but we find
that parents and grandparents are using it as well. According to an article by Shea
Bennett, around 96 percent of students with internet access use social media. “Social
media has revolutionized many industries, but it’s perhaps its impact on the
classroom, and the education system as a whole, that is the most striking”
(2013). The majority of our student population uses social media. As a future
educator, it is important that I “connect” with my students while integrating
technology as well so their learning goes beyond the classroom.
There are a few communication technologies to keep in mind
while interacting with my students outside of class. I could provide a telephone
number for my students to reach me if needed. I would also send a text out to remind
students when big assignments are due, or to study for a quiz. I could make a
website with notes, topic related videos, and a discussion area where students
can ask and answer questions. In a blog, I could branch off from our lessons and
talk about similar topics and post about current events. These technologies can
create a better connection with students and give them a chance to discuss and
share ideas.
Teenagers do text a lot and in the “Digital dialog 8.1” section
of the chapter, it’s no surprise to see that teen’s text more than any other part
of the population (2011). There are some things to be mindful about with this
popular form of communication. I think texting is so popular among teens is
because of the social scene as well as keeping their privacy secure. Teens more
than anyone else are focused on fitting in and making friends. Text messaging
allows them to interact with others in a private way. All cell phones give you
the option of setting up a password in order for you to unlock the phone. I
know from personal experience that texting has changed my spelling, reading,
and writing skills. Using slang, shortened words, and acronyms is common to use
while texting. If elementary students are using texting as well, they may not
be using critical thinking or focusing on their spelling and writing. I think
teachers will have to involve more critical thinking activities and maybe more writing
activities to strengthen those reading, writing, and spelling skills. In a discussion
board, I submitted my response to my professor and said “lol” at the end of it.
The professor didn’t mind and laughed but it shocked me that using text
language has become like a second nature to me.
In the “Twitter for Teachers” part of the chapter, we can
see how conveniently easy Twitter is to use for out of classroom learning. As
of 2011, there was 250 million tweets sent per day. Twitter incorporates
texting, social networking, and blogging by letting users share interests by sending
a tweet. Your page displays all of your previous tweets and retweets. You can
search a desired topic by using hashtags and see search results from all around
the world (2011). Using Twitter will allow me to post about upcoming
assignments and assessments, tweet other teachers to share ideas, and allow my
students to ask questions and share ideas as well. For an extra credit assignment,
I could have my students follow a presidential debate and tweet about their
opinions. I think this activity would be engaging and help students become more
politically active.
Not only has technology changed our teaching world, but
social media has made such an impact that it’s becoming more and more popular
for teachers to use it as well. Our students are consistently checking their social
networking sites so as a future educator, I can take advantage of this to help
my students learn beyond the classroom. Will Richardson agrees that we can do
this by posting about upcoming assignments or tests, creating discussion boards
and blogs, and “tweeting” about current events. “This tectonic shift of
connections has huge significance for the way we think about our roles as
educators, our classrooms, and, most important, our own personal learning.”
(2011).
Resources:
Alaimo, A. (October 11, 2015). Digital Blog Post F. Created with https://bubbl.us/mindmap
Bennett, Shea. “How is social media used in schools? Statistics,
facts, and figures.”
SocialTimes. 2013. Retrieved from http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/schools-social-media-
stats/488104
Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B.
(2013). Transforming Learning with New
Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston,
MA: Pearson Education Inc.
No comments:
Post a Comment