Using social online networks in teaching or professional development

Week 29: Using social online networks in teaching or professional development

My social media use in my classroom is very limited. I only use Seesaw, an online learning journal.

And, my Seesaw use could be termed as very basic with my use of Seesaw limited to sending parents snippets (video clips, photos) of what their children have been doing in the day.

If I had been asked, previous to this week, about my reasons for my limited classroom use of social media I would have said it is because I'm a New Entrant/Year 1 teacher and my young children do not have the capabilities to use social media as a learning tool. However, after reading some of the blog posts regarding this topic and from the TED ED video 'Using Social Media in the Classroom' by Karen Cassidy, I have decided I need to re-evaluate my thinking around using social media for learning in my classroom.

Karen Cassidy's use of social media in her class of six and seven year olds is inspiring. The point she made about today's children having grown up with the internet and with access to digital tools at home and therefore the necessity for digital tools to be a part of classroom learning resonates with me. Not using digital tools in the classroom could seem as if there was a disconnect between school life and home life which may not be conducive to learning. 

I also liked her use of blogs for her students as a way to record and show their learning and receive feedback from others and her use of Twitter as a way for her students to connect with other classrooms and learn from them. Study.com (n.d) talks about social learning theory and how students learn more effectively when they learn from each other. They also say, "social media platforms can help to increase communication skills and provide a 'back door' for shy learners. While many students struggle with speaking in front of their classmates, they may feel more comfortable 'speaking' on social media. This provides an outlet for students who are too intimidated to raise their hands in class. Furthermore, social media relies on the written word, making it an excellent means of improving writing skills" (pg.1).
Sharples et al (2016) also support the use of social media as a learning platform when they discuss how social media can "support creativity, collaboration, communication and sharing of resources" (p.12).
I can see the benefits of using a social media platform in my classroom as a means for my students to connect with others, deepen their learning and improve their literacy and communication skills. However, I also see there are challenges to using social media in the classroom. These challenges include websites with inaccurate information, inappropriate audience comments, unsuitable audience, and general issues around cyber safety.

I think the challenges of using social media in the classroom can be addressed through websites for teachers such as the Education Council website 'What is social media?' (NZ Education Council, n.d.) and information booklets such as 'DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY Safe and responsible use in schools' ( Ministry of Education, 2015).

Useful link Twenty amazing ways for teachers to use social media in the classroom

References:

Ministry of Education. (2015).Ministry of Education. (2015).DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY Safe and responsible use in schools. Wellington: New Zealand: Author. Retrieved from https://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/School/Managing-and-supporting-students/DigitalTechnologySafeAndResponsibleUseInSchs.pdf

NZ Education Council. (n.d.). What is social media . Retrieved from http://teachersandsocialmedia.co.nz/what-social-me...

Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., Jasper, M. (2001) Critical Reflection Model. Retrieved from: https://my.cumbria.ac.uk/media/MyCumbria/Documents/ReflectiveModelRolfe.pdf

Study.com. (n.d). Using Social Media in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/using-social-media-in-the-classroom.html