Pros:
According to Lave and Wenger (1991) "It is widely accepted that learning has a strong social component and that this learning is situated in our relationships with others" (as cited by Solomon and Levin, 2010, p. 80). This is where social media comes in. It is a way for our students to collaborate with their peers which will aid in their comprehension of skills and concepts. According to Surowiecki (2004), "There is some evidence that the large number of humans engaged in Web 2.0 may be the key to innovative thinking and problem solving" (as cited by Solomon and Levin, 2010, p. 85). In order for our students to learn how to communicate in a civilized and educated manner online, we have to model this in our schools so they could one day be an innovator or problem solver like Surowiecki mentioned.
It is important to note that social media is not limited to just Twitter and Facebook. Sites such as Youtube, Blogger, and wikispaces are also considered social media sites. These sites offer creative ways for students to interact and learn from one another. This sites also allow students to be contributors and innovators online which allows them to start creating a positive digital footprint in their wake.
Social media can really have a positive impact on education. According to a study conducted by the University of Minnesota "on student use of social media, students who are already engaging in social networking could benefit from incorporating it into curriculum" (as cited by Module five notes, 2015, p. 2). Christine Greenhow, a researcher, states, "By understanding how students may be positively using these networking technologies in their daily lives and whereas the as-yet-unrecognized educational opportunities are, we can help make schools even more relevant, connected, and meaningful to kids" (as cited by Module five notes, 2015, p. 2). According to Cumberland (2014) social media in the classroom increases classroom participation and collaboration (para. 2-3). They also help parents, teachers, and students up-to-date with daily classroom lessons and assignments (Cumberland, 2014, para. 6).
While some may worry about the safety of social media there are safe social media options if a school is worried about safety such as edmodo, schoology, moodle, and Google classroom.
Cons:
As we all know the very essences of social media is in it's name. It is a social site and with this comes challenges, especially when dealing with adolescents. One of the main concerns is cyber-bullying and harassment. Teachers can delete inappropriate posts or report them, but once it has been posted the damage has typically been done. Cumberland (2014) points out that "social media can be a distraction in class" as well as detract from face-to-face interaction which is also an important skill (para. 8-10).
In Summation
In my opinion the pros out weigh the cons. It might be scary to use, but learning how to communicate online is an important skill for students. We cannot let fear dictate our future.
References:
(2015).
Module five: Social networking tools and social media. [Class
Lecture]. Department of Education, Southern New Hampshire University,
Manchester, NH.
Cumberland, S. (2014, February 21). 5 pros and cons of social media in the classroom. Retrieved March 11, 2015, from School is Easy Tutoriing website:http://www.schooliseasy.com /2014/02/social-media-in-the-classroom/
Solomon,
G., & Schrum, L. (2010). Web 2.0
how-to for educators. Washington, DC: ISTE.
Great post Erin! I agree that it can be scary - for the older educator. Most students have grown up with some sort of instant messenger, Facebook, or other means to talk over the Internet. I think the older generations are seeing it as a scarier thing because of the fall out from some cases of inappropriate use. I also agree the pros outweigh the cons. I think we can take it as yet another opportunity to help teach our students about how to be productive digital citizens.
ReplyDelete(Ugh! I posted and then it disappeared. Now I have to try to retype my thoughts again).
ReplyDeleteErin, you have a fantastic post and I agree with you that students should not be limited to Facebook and Twitter for social media. I was reading through an Edutopia article by Keith Heggart (http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/taking-plunge-social-media-classroom) and in his article he cites KQED Education... perhaps you've heard of it? Do Now by KQED Education suggests that educators teach their students about current events using social media, which I thought was quite cool. I reflected on my usage of social media (beyond status updates, retweets, and likes) and realized that when I want to check on some news from my area, I often check to see what the local news stations have posted on social media. The comments people write underneath the content is not always helpful but sometimes they are updates from people involved. I thought more about my usage of Twitter and remembered that, when the marathon bombing happened in Boston, I was all over Twitter trying to stay up to date on new information. From this realization I thought that perhaps, along with digital citizenship, we must also help our students understanding the valuable information from the "less valuable."
The fact that cyber bullying exists is often times a reason people steer clear of social media in schools.
ReplyDeleteBut if bullying were the reason to avoid we certainly should avoid school and pretty much any place where classism can take place. But we don't. School, work, and other real-world places have so much to offer in terms of learning that we simply cannot avoid it. Social Networks are no different, if there are places where humans can interact, they most definitely can learn.
Great thoughts!