Journal 3 - The Case for Social Media in School

I believe that social media is an important part of the educational process.  Students feel that their teachers are out-of-touch dinosaurs until proven otherwise.  What better way for a teacher to speak her students' language than to engage them in social media activities.  The teacher will be transformed from a dinosaur to a rockstar.  This isn't a popularity contest; but it is a contest to win over and capture students' attention and focus.  Teachers can either innovate or lose their audience.  Anything can be used for both good or bad.  It's time to draw out the good that social media can do.  For example, a teacher can post a lesson on Facebook-like social media outlet.  Students can upload their assignments.  The experience can be interactive between teacher and student as well as student and student.  Of course, there would have to be established boundaries and consequences for bullying or inappropriate behavior; but I think that students would be so overwhelmed with gratitude towards their teacher's efforts to engage them that most of the students would probably behave without much warning.

Blogs where students can post responses to teacher questions and gather teacher and peer feedback would be another idea.  The exciting thing about blog posts is that students can also see who else out there is reading what they have to say.  Many students feel that education is a daunting experience.  I feel that blogs and other social media outlets can help students learn topics in bite-sized chunks, voice their confusion, gain perspective from teachers and peers, and eventually contribute something of value themselves.

Q:  Do you think that there is any good that can come out of using social media in the classroom?
A:  Yes, I believe if a teacher is creative, she can use social media to catapult the learning curve.  Learning can become a game.  Students love games.  They especially love games that they can play with their peers.  Who doesn't like a little friendly competition.  A teacher could potentially create a 24/7 educational portal if she is clever enough.

Q:  How could you ensure that students do not use social media to bully each other?
A:  A teacher can establish "game rules" and hold herself and all her students responsible for reporting any breach.  Teacher and students can use a breach as an opportunity to discuss internet safety and bullying.  With established and enforced rules, the teacher is covered, the students are covered, and social media is open to be used for educational purposes as well as for entertainment and friend-connect purposes (already being utilized by students).