Thursday, June 21, 2012

Learning Tool or Educational Distraction?

I thank many of us can agree that schools are split on the value that social media plays in the teaching and learning process.  Ok, who am I kidding!  The majority of schools see absolutely no inherent value as a result of the stigma that social media carries with it.  I encourage you to watch the video below as it really puts into perspective not only the potential role that social media can play in education, but also the essential role of the teacher that uses it.




Do you consider social media a tool for learning or a source of distraction and why?  I think this conversation could potentially be used as a springboard for those educators wishing to open their schools and students to this tool that many of us find so valuable. 

4 comments:

  1. I love the example you shared, and the real life application of SM in education. SM is a great tool (when leveraged correctly) to evoke engagement outside of the classroom.

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    1. I too have benefited from online resources to supplement my learning and engagement in graduate classes. I feel that the collaboration between students in chat rooms, social media, and blogs was just as effective as being in the physical classroom. As educators, we have to embrace the way students learn... in 2012 it just so happens to be through electronic communications. The challenge is how can we capture this learning approach to ensure that students are receiving the knowledge base they need to be successful.

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  2. Great RANT! Teachers of students under age for using social media are using these tools to connect, collaborate and share information. School districts need to "allow" teachers to use social media in the schools instead of blocking all access.

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  3. I am a late comer to the SM train, however, now that I'm on I don't know how I functioned without it. I do still believe that educators should use separate pages for their personal and professional lives and should avoid personal, private communication with students through any media (voice, in-person, or social media).

    Good rant.

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