Educational Value of Social Media

Social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and others have quickly become one of the most popular sites on the Internet for children. Most of the students in my classroom have an account on at least one those sites. But do these websites have a place in the classroom? Many people would say, no. Some may even forbid their students from even using them citing privacy and bullying concerns. But I argue yes they do have place in the class if they are structured and monitored. 

We now live in a world that is drastically different than it was 25 years ago. Today we use technology to instantly watch videos, read the news, find an answer to a problem, keep in touch and work with others, and many other ways. This does not only happen at home, but in the workplace too. The young people of today must know how to use technology not only for enjoyment, but how to use it to be productive too! We cannot ignore the “important role social media plays in helping discover and connect with people or follow conversations that one might never have come across in the physical world “ (Agerwal & Singh, 2012). The jobs of tomorrow will require people who can communicate and collaborate with others in ways we have yet to imagine. By teaching children to use social media in a responsible and acceptable way, we are giving them skills that will help them later in life.

I have created a Twitter account to use throughout the year. It is called “Mystery Organism” (@Creature Mystery). On this page, I will present a new mystery organism each week. I will then provide the students with several clues. The clues will hint at the organism’s habitat, diet, characteristics, and predators. The students will then have to piece the clues together and research to determine what the mystery organism is. By doing this, I am attempting to “improve scores by taking engagement beyond the classroom boundaries and encouraging students to explore the subjects in greater depth” (Agerwal & Singh, 2012). I am also encouraging the students to collaborate inside and outside the classroom to learn about these creatures and understand the relationship between what they depend on and what depends on them to survive.

Parents have many legitimate concerns about letting young students use social media sites, but we cannot ignore the role that these sites will play in their children’s personal and professional future. I encourage you to visit this website to learn some tips on how you can protect your children online.

Reference:

Agerwal, A. & Singh, I. (2012, May). Social media in education. Digital Learning, Retrieved from http://ezproxy.snhu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/docview/1018538253?accountid=3783