EDC 340 - Social Media

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    Social media is one of the most influential technological tools available for educators. There is a wide variety of options like blogs, videos, Tik Toks, and many more. Not only are these creative ways to differentiate material, but it also allows students to improve their technology skills. The website Social Media in Education: Resource Toolkit by the George Lucas Educational Foundation discusses how social media can strengthen teaching and learning, connect parents and communities, and is highly relatable and appealing to students. It entails a selection of articles that revolve around each of those topics previously mentioned and a mini description of each one. They are broken down into the following categories: creating social media guidelines, student engagement with social media, selecting social-media tools, home, school, and community connections, social media for professional development, digital citizenship, and online safety.

    For example, in the category of creating social media, there is an attached article, The Digital Lives of Teens: What Time Is It? Now! by Matt Levinson talks about the impact that social media and instant data access can have on students and how teachers and parents can steer them in a positive direction. This is a helpful article because it helps educators understand how they can navigate their students through the perplexity of social media. In the home, school, and community connections category, there is another useful article, Parent Communication Toolbox, by Gwen Pescatore. This article mentions countless digital tools to engage parents with their child’s learning process when face-to-face interactions are not possible. This is especially helpful after enduring the previous years of teaching through a pandemic and how to manage parents' involvement during that time. 

    Ever since the creation of social media, there has been a significant change in our lives, and it is notably seen in the classroom. The article, How Social Media is Reshaping Today’s Education System by Lori Wade explains how social media has affected the education system. This article is organized by the following: empowering effects, implementation in schools?, how can teachers penetrate the online world?, daring teachers, and a stronger community through social media. The section, empowering effects, uses the following statement to show the results, “Statistics show that 96% of the students that have internet access are using at least one social network… there are a lot of them that actually use it to promote a lot of positive and useful activities” (Wade). This displays that most students use a social media platform and how it is used productively. 

    A social media network mentioned in the article provides an alternative to learning, Twitter. The author notes how a biology teacher from Bergen County used Twitter for one of their lessons over meiosis. They utilized it as a way to debate by using specific hashtags. It is vital that teachers adapt to the growing application of social media; this will enhance student learning and make it more enjoyable and impactful. In conclusion, there is no avoiding social media inside schools. It has become so integrated into our everyday lives that it should be looked at as a tool to increase learning. Often, it is viewed negatively, but with the proper mindset, an educator can use it in a positive light. 

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