Social
Networking sites and schools: Can we just be friends?
 I love Edmodo!! |
| A screenshot of my Edmodo page |
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| A screenshot of my YouTube page (Royal Knight Science) |
Schools can be friends with social media. Here are four reasons why:
Reason
#1 - It is now a connected and social world.
The top 5 social media sites
combined have nearly 2 BILLION users! Social media and smartphone growth are
both expected to grow at strong double-digit rates for the next several years
(remember the lines for the newest Iphone? I was there) Colleges and
universities are not immune. The boom of online universities are proof to the
growth of popularity of an online presence. While there are certainly lots of ways
to waste time with social media ( I am thinking about you, Pinterest), nobody
is arguing that social media cannot be used to engage students in interesting
new ways and provide varied learning opportunities.
Reason
#2 - The privacy concerns and safety of social media do not outweigh the
benefits.
I read this interesting fact about the
United States Library of Congress: the Library of Congress has archived every
tweet from Twitter. That is 200 billion tweets and counting! What you say and
write on social media does live forever. Privacy and safety concerns are going
to be there regardless of whether or not social media is taught or used in
schools. If social media is used and taught in schools, school media
specialists could instruct students on how to maintain privacy and be safe
online. Cyber bullies are no match for an informed populace.
Reason
#3 - Social media is a not a waste of time.
When computers first came out,
people thought that they would be a waste of time. Who would have imagined all of the awesome programs that would be written and creative ways they could be used to enhance our
lives. Sure you can waste time on a computer and
find more than your share of inappropriate websites unsuitable for viewing by
school age children, but it is hard to argue that computers are not a
valuable teaching tool and most schools have computer training for students as part of their
core curriculum. Clayton County provides laptops to all of its teachers and has
placed at least two desktop computers in every classroom grades K-12.
Imagine the possibilities social media
brings to the classroom. Assignments can be shared via links, entire classrooms
can be part of the same Edmodo group, and study groups are a Google+ Hangout
away. Instagram could be used to document a class field trip and an active
Twitter feed will allow students and parents to connect with the classroom in
an engaging way. Students and teachers could connect with others across the world using Skype, bringing a new meaning to pen pals. The same way computers are not used to play video games in
classrooms, using social networking sites in classrooms will not be a waste of
time if it is overseen constructively.
Reason
#4 – Teaching students how to use social networking sites effectively is
preparing students for the future.
Schools are places where they are taught the
skills and knowledge to be compete globally and succeed in an interconnected
world. Students need to be comfortable using technology and schools can provide
access to technology that students may not have access to at home.
The world is a social place. Technology has allowed information to travel the span of the world in mere seconds. Adolescents enjoy the social nature of many sites such as Twitter, Snapchat, and OooVoo to name a few. Adolescents enjoy a tech saturated life: many have access to the internet at home, either through traditional means, such as computers or laptops, or through cell phones. Why shouldn’t students enjoy access to social networking sites at school? In my county, social networking sites are firewalled and blocked although the county occasionally allows the use of YouTube in the classroom. In 2014, Edmodo (a Facebook like site connecting students, teachers, and other stakeholders) became the big push in Clayton County Schools. I have embraced the seeming loosening of the technology ropes with glee. I use Edmodo to connect with my students, send out alerts, and grade assignments. My Edmodo page is the digital face of my classroom. I have tried to use Twitter in my classroom but most students do not want to follow a teacher and I often forgot to update my feed. My overprotective nature does not allow me to use Instagram; I do not want my student’s faces on the internet. But I do see the uses of a class or school Instagram page. Technology is not going anywhere and it is important that schools and teachers grow and develop with the times. Stagnation limits intellectual growth and development and denying the use of social media limits the production of global citizens.
Reshawndra,
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is wow!!!!! This is one of the most informative and interesting blogs Ive ever read!!! My favorite point you made is #2. If we teach our students about safety and privacy then they cannot be taking advantage of by it!!! This is something that is so important for this generation to comprehend!! Kudos to you on a great Blog!!
I have to thank you for going into such detail with your blog. This is a blog which I can use to inform my teachers at my school to use social networking and social media in their classrooms. It is very thorough. The key to it working is privacy and getting students to adhere to do's and don'ts.
ReplyDeleteOkay, so social media is not as bad as it seems. You have given some great reasons why it’s beneficial in our lives and educational system. I like the sarcasm that you displayed in your blog as it makes for great reading and informing us in a way that’s plain and understandable. Of course not everyone will agree that it’s all good, but I have to admit it’s not all bad either. It can do wonderful things for our students, staff and parents if utilized in the proper manner. As you mentioned, there are so many possibilities that can be brought into the class room by using social media. Working with the tech tools for one of my classes, I discovered there are so many varieties out there to explore. Each offering a little more than the other and each doing exactly what we need: Communication.
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ReplyDeleteAhh!! What a wonderful world it would be if school districts, teachers, students, and parents would embrace the social media wave in education. The good thing about my school district is they get it! All media specialist are deemed the communication ambassadors for the schools and we must post, tweet, and IG whatever we can about the great things that are going on in our schools. Unfortunately, with all of the unauthorized camera use and video recordings from students that has taken place in the world student having access to a device to create problems keeps us from really tapping into the world of social media. There are some creative ways in which we can help our system and students see the benefit of utilizing social media in a positive way. By creating meaningful assignments for students to really get involved in. I would also like to create a buy-in from parents so that they may stay connected to the social media sites and continue to stay in the know.
ReplyDeleteI love the emphasis on information literacy! I think we as media specialists can help fill this role. Information literacy should be the curriculum we strive to incorporate into our daily interaction with teachers and students. Social media can be a great thing; however, there can also be some dangerous consequences. It is up to us to teach the students to be critical thinkers so they can access the situation and move forward feeling confident. We need to promote inquiry and teach students to ask questions because this is a life skill that will carry on into their daily lives whether they attend college or not.
ReplyDeleteExcellent blog post!! Social Media will always be a grey area for school systems. There are a ton of social media sites that are geared towards education and that can be very useful in the classroom. The big name sites - Twitter, Facebook, Instagram - is where the grey area is so prevalent. We hear in the news all the time about teachers getting in trouble because of social media. The stigma around social media and school's is because people don't think about the OTHER social media sites. I use Schoology in my classroom. It is set up to allow groups, chats, profiles - but it also is where I post assignments, files, calendars and students can turn in work. Social Media can be a great tool in the classroom as long as it is used the right way!!
ReplyDeleteAnother great entry! It is obvious to us (educators and slms) that the internet and social media is here to stay and is part of how we communicate and function in society, whether it be for advertising a business or networking. What we fail to remember is not all households are equipped with internet and access to smart phones and personal computers. In many cases, introduction to social media and how to use this tool is a educated way will only occur in the school. "The limited access to broadband in rural areas may impact the ability of young people to develop digital literacy skills in the areas of creativity and innovation, communication and collaboration, research, information literacy, critical thinking and problem solving, and digital citizenship" (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2004).
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of discussion in the slm community about diversity and multiculturalism. But if we are truly looking to empower our stakeholders then providing access to the tools of the future is the equitable answer.
You made several excellent points regarding social media sites and schools. I think the key point in your post is that there is a lot of misinformation out there and parents lack the knowledge and understanding. As educators we need to make sure we show students the correct usage, safety procedures, and teach them the value of these sites. By allowing the use of social media sites in our schools, we need to make sure we are also providing our parents with information sessions, pamphlets, and the same knowledge that we have shared with the students. We cannot assume our students will share the same information with their parents. Information sessions are the best route to take to inform our parents, however, parents do not always come to these events. We have always said, “Feed them or provide them with a performance and they will come”. Your reason #3 makes me smile because I have been known to get on certain social media sites ad waste time! I think that providing a purpose and goal for students when using social media sites will help them manage their time. Having a purpose allows for one to get what they need and get out!
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ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog posting, it was very informative. I thought your point 2 stood out to me the most. I think the use of privacy and safety concerns can sometimes be used as a crutch to limit the amount of social media used in the classroom and media center. I think as long as you have a well-created Internet usage policy along with other information for parents, teachers and administration informing them of pertinent Internet safety tips, the school as a whole would feel more comfortable about using social media in schools. Technology is advancing and soon there will be no way to avoid using some form of social media when it comes to learning.
ReplyDeleteI also think social media is a great resource for parents, teachers, and students. At times it does get a bit scary. I work with our computer lab teacher and we have both taught all of the students about internet safety and how to use the internet in a positive way. I just don't think they can hear about it too much. Students definitely enjoy doing their work more when using technology. Last year, when we were out of school due to snow, some of the fifth grade teachers at my school used Edmodo to continue the learning process. The students loved it and the majority of the fifth graders were able to get online and get the work done happily. This summer I plan to do something similar with a book club. When social networking is happening in the classroom I just think it is very important for teachers to be engaged with what they are doing and oversee projects closely.
ReplyDeleteGreat reasons! The collaboration that social networking provides can be an amazing learning experience for students. It has them engaged because they are interested in that type of forum. Social networking help feeds into the instant feedback that students today expect. As long as responsibility can be enforced the possibilities are endless.
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