Social Media is a term used all the time in everyday life and it's growing bigger than the normal 15 year old's weekly zit. When I watch my favorite TV shows I see a hashtag on the bottom of the screen so that I could connect with people all over the world who are watching the same show at the exact same time as me. So when Glenn died in The Walking Dead, not only did I gasp but everyone on social media gasped with me at the same exact moment. Social media is important for all of these political candidates right now for the race for the White House. Thanks to social media it has taken this political race into an "awkward" direction.
What I really appreciate about social media is the speed. I am not around a TV constantly so my ears for the news is not constant. But thanks to social media I can find out if there is a protest that is going to delay my way home from work, or an accident blocking the freeways and that explains the sudden traffic at 8pm.
Of course, social media is a great way to connect to friends and family who are all over the world and it makes us all connected in such a different way than we used to be. I can see my "friends" children grow without asking for pictures or the feelings they feel after eating that meal they couldn't stop posting pictures of.
However, how can social media be useful in the classroom and at the same time be appropriate with the common core standards and standards teachers need to abide by daily.
Well, I have found a very "entry level" way to bring social media into the classroom. I think it helps with topics such as current events, science, history and literature. In my classroom, I am a science only teacher but common core asks for content related conversations, whether its a whole class discussion, small group or even partner talks. I will use Instagram and post a picture onto the screen and have my students look at the picture and do "I notice..." and "I wonder...." statements. I have seen such great images from Instagram especially from NASA, JPL, The USGS, National Geographic, and other notable organizations. The pictures are authentic and real. My students enjoy these talks and get very excited that I am using Instagram as a tool to help them learn. They are engaged in the conversation. I have brought social media into the classroom under a controlled environment. If you want some engaging conversation from your students use the "I noticed and I wonder" statements in a discussion, or what I have done is use that discussion over a padlet as a reflection.
- Serina
What I really appreciate about social media is the speed. I am not around a TV constantly so my ears for the news is not constant. But thanks to social media I can find out if there is a protest that is going to delay my way home from work, or an accident blocking the freeways and that explains the sudden traffic at 8pm.
Of course, social media is a great way to connect to friends and family who are all over the world and it makes us all connected in such a different way than we used to be. I can see my "friends" children grow without asking for pictures or the feelings they feel after eating that meal they couldn't stop posting pictures of.
However, how can social media be useful in the classroom and at the same time be appropriate with the common core standards and standards teachers need to abide by daily.
Well, I have found a very "entry level" way to bring social media into the classroom. I think it helps with topics such as current events, science, history and literature. In my classroom, I am a science only teacher but common core asks for content related conversations, whether its a whole class discussion, small group or even partner talks. I will use Instagram and post a picture onto the screen and have my students look at the picture and do "I notice..." and "I wonder...." statements. I have seen such great images from Instagram especially from NASA, JPL, The USGS, National Geographic, and other notable organizations. The pictures are authentic and real. My students enjoy these talks and get very excited that I am using Instagram as a tool to help them learn. They are engaged in the conversation. I have brought social media into the classroom under a controlled environment. If you want some engaging conversation from your students use the "I noticed and I wonder" statements in a discussion, or what I have done is use that discussion over a padlet as a reflection.
- Serina