Social Networking
New Media Consortium’s 2011 Horizon
Report mentions that Personal Learning Environments (PLE) would encourage
students to approach learning in new ways best suited to their individual
needs. These environments would give students opportunities to have control
over their education. I think the overview of PLEs in that report did not see
the overall picture of how teachers could utilize PLEs in traditional education
environment, only foreseeing PLEs as a learning system for those who were
taking alternate routes in receiving their education such as home schooling,
virtual schools or distance learning settings.
In 2014 I can definitely see the
benefits of PLEs now known as social networking websites. I do agree with the
2011 report that educators should guide students when using PLEs. I think only
if students are guided by educators with specific goals in mind then students
will see how social network sites can benefit their learning. Those students
will make connections when utilizing this form of collaboration not only for
personal socialization but academic learning as well. If students are utilizing
PLEs in traditional learning environments it is necessary that teachers develop
appropriate ways to integrate these forms of technology to benefit their
students learning, considering the rise of virtual and distance learning institutions
at the primary and secondary levels. PLEs refer to what most people know as
social networking websites.
Social networking sites have great
benefits in the classroom when communicating with students and professionals in
other states or countries regarding specific academic content. As with any use
of technology there should be a level of understanding that all students have
when social networking is incorporated into lessons, clear ramifications if not
followed and parental support. Social networking can offer countless
opportunities to expand knowledge of global diversity and awareness related to
education. Social networking in the classroom takes time to review, research,
and plan as with any other supplemental activity in a traditional lesson. Educators
should always try out or join a specific network before introducing it to
students. Michelle Davis discusses in an
article in Education Week how banning
social networking would be an injustice for students and borderline
irresponsible because educators are to provide the best educational
experiences. Over 80% of Educators utilize social networking sites on a monthly
basis according to the MMS Education 2012 Survey and has possibly increased
since that time. Knowing how beneficial the sites are to us as educators why
not find social networking sites to incorporate in our lesson?
There are always considerations…Drawbacks
to utilizing social networking sites in lessons may be related to not having
enough devices for your students to successfully accomplish the tasks teachers’
desire. Introducing social networking in the classroom will definitely inspire
students to join other social networking sites, which are issues to consider
especially with lower grade levels. The increase in cyber bullying and
cyberstalking is an issue to consider. Educators need to become knowledgeable
about these issues when introducing students to social networking. School
districts should be equipped with the proper privacy systems to block certain
content, certain personal sharing information and do what they can to monitor
student’s networking activity in the school if they are requiring participation
in social networking sites. Jayme Waddington mentions in her article Social Networking: The Unharnessed
Educational Tool, that schools and schools districts have the option of
educating safe media usage as well as incorporating digital media into the
classroom experience, thus preparing students for the literacy they will
encounter in the future. Educators can no longer use the excuse that they lack
resources if they have access to computers.
Until recent recently I only
searched the web for resources and read blogs written by other educators, but
now I actually take time to comment. Joining social networking sites can
actually be a new fashion of professional development rather than going to the
library, sitting in workshops and conferences. There is so much information
that specific networks can offer that you can have access to at your leisure. I
joined several networking groups associated with Diigo related to Transition in
Special Education and Special Education and Technology, which are topics that
will benefit me professionally and the services I provide to students. Joining
these groups allows me access to specific information only related to the
topics that are of interest to me and I can collaborate with other
professionals within the group.
Social
Networking Is Not Just For the Young
Considering, the increase in
educators utilizing social networks teachers are on the right path to
incorporating various methods of learning in their classrooms for the benefit
of the students. Educators are collaborating with other educators through
social networks. The MMS Education 2012 Survey also mentioned there is a discrepancy
between educators who are over 55 years old and educators who are younger that
utilize social networks. This discrepancy in age is not unusual when it comes
to the use of technology, whether its computer usage or cellular phones people
of certain age participation are lower. Children born in the 90s, now teenagers
and young adults grew up with in this digital age, computers and cellular
phones are natural for them to utilize like people in the 80s tuned in for the
6 o’clock news and read the daily newspaper before work. Technology will mature
and evolve just as they will and they will never fall behind, just as car
drivers have evolved with the improvements of the automobile. The automobile has
been around since 1900s. An 80 year old person, unless he or she has never
driven any type of four wheeled transportation vehicle will get behind the
wheel of a car, learn the new features and put the pedal to the medal as they
say.
The survey completed for 2012
focused on educators and those in the related professions. Even though there
are not as many educators of a certain age joining social networking sites
there are some very popular social networking sites that attract people over 55
that may benefit many aspects of their lives in my opinion. Many people retire,
have children move out for college, and as they get even older they experience
life changing events like becoming grandparents or becoming a widower. All of
these changes have an impact on their quality of life and there are social
networking sites that offer means of collaboration for any person in any situation.
The power of the internet! Social networks such as classmates.com,
librarything.com, or lifeknot.com can help close that discrepancy gap between
people over 55 and those younger. These networks allow people to reconnect with
old friends and make new ones. Of course anyone seeking social networking sites
with specific criteria can search for them but some people need to ease their
way in.
I can admit that I have spent hours
touring WebMDs website and blogs trying to diagnose my own symptoms, find
remedies to ease migraines and tween issues but there are countless issues that
arise with age and social networking sites such as dailystrength.com and patientslikeme.com
can really help people going through ailment and afflictions I cannot imagine. All people no matter their age need to be
cautious and protect themselves when using social networking sites. If someone
does not feel comfortable diving into the world of social media or joining a
network they should ask for help. Periodically libraries offer computer courses
for “seniors”. Adding information related to social media and networking would
be a great start making sure people of all ages are utilizing their resources
to its maximum potential.
References
Davis, M. R. (2010, June
14). Social Networking Goes to School. Education Week. Retrieved
February 13, 2014, from www.edweek.org
Horizon report 2010 K-12
edition. (2010). Austin, TX:
New Media Consortium.
Survey of K-12 Educators
on Social Networking, Online Communities, & Web 2.0 Tools (Rep.). (n.d.). Retrieved February 11,
2014, from MMS Education website.
Waddington, J. (2011).
Social Networking: The Unharnessed Educational Tool. Undergraduate
Research Journal at UCCS, 4(1), 12-18. Retrieved February 14,
2014.
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ReplyDeleteHi Michelle. I was thinking about your concluding thoughts on caution and self-protection. I didn't encounter anything in our readings/videos that focused on the caution that needs to be applied when using social media. I think that's a problem. Caution needs to be TAUGHT in this area. Students cannot see who they are encountering and, often, do not know who they are communicating with via social media. They only see themselves, the computer, and their own perception of virtual reality in their minds. As a teacher, I embrace social media and all of the possibilities. I even make use of the students' own smart phones within the context of my class. Have I ever TAUGHT a lesson on the caution one must take when using social media? No, I haven't. I'm not sure who's class that should happen in, so I'm going to take the initiative to do so. In the video Social Networking in Plain English, one of the first statements made by the narrator was that the problem with social networking is hidden connections. He continues on to state that a network is only as good as the people and the networks you can SEE. I don't agree with this at all. I want to be in control of the people I see, as well as the connections. I'm a private person and want to stay that way. I don't want strangers "all up in my business", as my students would say. My students don't understand how important their privacy is, and that THEY are the guardians of their privacy on social media. I cannot protect their privacy, nor can their parents/guardians. Social media needs to be used responsibly, with care and caution. As educators move forward with social media in the classroom, this principle needs to be at the forefront.
ReplyDeleteMichelle - You definitely raised some noteworthy points in your discussion. I appreciate the observation that parents also need to be support that their children are utilizing social networking in the classroom. To tag onto Emjay's comments, I believe that caution must be taught when students are accessing social networking sites. This should be an initiative that is discussed both at home and while at school to ensure students are safe. The old saying, 'stranger danger' is just as pertinent in cyberspace as it is in the real world - if not more so. The 2009 Horizon Report: The K12 edition indicates that policy is a great challenge encountered while using social media in the classroom. With that, the concept of cyber-bullying must also be taken under consideration, as you mentioned. Schools must develop safeguards against acts of this sort as well as policy for ramifications when it does occur. Key stakeholders in this development must include school districts, instructors and parents alike. I enjoy your analogy of cell phones and technology are to young adults as cars are to the older generation. My grandparents cannot recall a time without cars, and my (future) children will never be without technology. Generations within society evolve as inventions are created and we all must adapt or be left behind.
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