Social Media in Education

In the past social media and education were two things that did not go hand in hand. Using social media especially as a teacher was frowned upon and not recommended when creating lesson plans. In the news you would hear nothing but bad things coming from teachers using sites like Facebook and Twitter and Youtube. Teachers were almost scared to use social media as a teaching tool. However, when used correctly social media can make all the difference teaching in todays classroom.

In this video it is reported that the high school graduating class of 2011 had the lowest SAT reading scores in history. It's time for teachers to stop being afraid of change and to use social media in their classrooms. This same video ask "Are we failing our students?". Children in school today have never lived in a world without computers and social media. It a huge part of their lives. Therefor schools should be incorporating social media in positive ways in the classroom to promote active learning and participation.

Using social media in the classroom has a list of benefits. First, it's free. Schools spend a lot of money purchasing software and programs used in the classroom. Second, using social media incorporates real-world experiences in the classroom. Teaching kids to use social media appropriately from a young age will help them learn how to use social media appropriately in the adult world. The third and big benefit social media has in the classroom is that it encourages participation. Not every student wants to raise their hand to ask a question or participate in a conversation or class debate. For example, in this classroom the teacher uses twitter to engage the whole class in discussions. As the great Confucius once said "I hear I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand." Engaging kids in the classroom in a way that excites them and is relevant to them will make all the difference in their understanding of the material being taught.

Technology is advancing everyday. The way we educate students in todays classrooms should be evolving with technology. Social media is a great tool for teachers to use in the classroom when used appropriately.

References

Bryne, R. (2012). Social media for teachers. Retrieved from        http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2012/11/social-media-for-teachers.html#.UQBnF6WnBUR             

Clark, H. (2011,October 8) Social media in education [Video file]. Retrieved from              http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zKdPOHhNfY

James, R. (2012). Using social media in the classroom for real-world learning. Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/social-media/using-social-media-in-the-classroom-for-real-world-learning/ 

University of Minnesota. (2009, March 25). Twitter in the classroom? [Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OxIz_3o3O0