Blog Post #5
Although social media generates a lot of negativity, especially in the world of academia, due to its tendency to distract students, I think it can prove very helpful in the classroom. In my own experience, students being able to easily link up with each other to compare notes, study together or discuss lessons no matter where they physically are is invaluable, and a very effective way of studying. Things such as facebook pages for certain classes or groups or google hangouts where students can complete a group project from each of their homes and transportation isn’t an issue make a lot of homework a lot easier to manage.
A good web 2.0 tool that can be used for teaching which I made a lot of use of in high school is google drive, especially the version where several people can edit a document at the same time. This is especially useful in assigning group projects, as not only can the students easily communicate and collaborate, teachers can see exactly who did what and when, and easily determine if a student didn’t contribute to the group. Teachers can also use this to monitor progress on assignments like large essays or research papers, something I’ve found helpful to keep me accountable in my own education. LINK
Similar to what I discussed in the other two paragraphs, it think the most educationally beneficial web technology advancement is the ability to instantly collaborate despite distance. I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, one of the geographically largest cities in the country, and most of my classmates lives near an hour away from me. Being able to contact and work with them, be it studying or a group project or presentation, was invaluable to me, and I’m not sure what I would have done without it.
I agree that social media in a classroom can be distracting and how you can use that to benefit in the classroom. bu using the social media platforms that students are already using, you can eliminate time wasted teaching them how to use the application and keep them from being distracted in class.
ReplyDeleteGoogle drive is a great tool that I use a lot today in some of my classes. I never knew that teachers could determine your level of contribution.
ReplyDeleteI think as long a social media platforms are used correctly and appropriately then they should be fine in a classroom setting. Its a modern fun way for students to connect and explore that they are already familiar with.
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