Social Media in Education

       The use of social media to share, communicate and reflect as a part of learning and instruction has both its upsides and downsides in education.  More and more students are using social media as a daily part of their lives at younger and younger ages.  Within my own grade six class, four out of five students have a smart device of some type, and are on facebook, twitter, instagram, Snap Chat, are some other form of social media.  To address the needs of this new class of learners, it's important to be able to relate to them on their level, and use social media as a teaching resource.

       Social media means instant communication.  Homework assignments, news, information, and posts can be transmitted instantly by instructors, sending notices to their students on things they may need to know for activities, assignments, and classes.  Likewise, struggling students can use social media to ask questions to teachers, and to get extra help they may need on classroom and homework assignments.  Social media can be used to comment on lessons and lectures, or it could be used to facilitate classroom discussion, both in and out of the classroom.  The possibilities are endless.

       There are certain issues that need to be addressed when utilizing social media within the classroom.  The biggest one is that of privacy.  Students need to make sure that they understand how to use a social media account safely, so their posts and responses are seen only by those whom are meant to see them.  Likewise, students need to understand the difference between a personal account, and a professional account for social media.  Posts and responses need to be professional in context and add to the ideas and concepts that are being discussed in the classroom.  The quality of students posts is important for successful use of social media.

       A lot of these issues need to be addressed within the classroom.  Open discussions between teacher and students needs to occur, for safe and successful use of social media within the classroom.  This will also benefit students personally, so they are using these means of communicating safely, for their own private purposes.  Social media has the ability to move education out of the classroom, so learning can take place anywhere.  It can assist in students becoming more independent, and more responsible for their own learning.