Social Media: Is It Right for the Classroom?

Social Media: Is it Right for the Classroom?

As I mentioned previously in my Discussion Board post for this week, Social Media has had a gigantic effect on today’s society and how we communicate with each other. I believe it has become an essential part of everyday life for most people.  Using social media in the classroom is a different approach to student learning and promoting successful student outcomes.  I honestly believe that it is an innovative way of reaching the hardest to serve students.  Most students today are already in the social media loop and would probably find this teaching tool very refreshing and familiar.  But is it right for the classroom?  In reading and researching a few articles on the subject, there is a great divide between educators when using social media as a teaching tool.  Both sides of the equation offer some very relevant positive and negative impacts as we look at whether or not to incorporate this as a teaching tool within the classroom.

The Positive:

Some educators agree that learning how to control social media in the class room is part of the learning process and that the benefits are far greater than the negatives.  Putting most all types of technology in the hands of students opens a wealth of opportunities and provides knowledge to the students.  Classrooms could be the perfect place to teach students to break bad habits and encourage them to embrace these tools for productive means instead of social toys.  Social Media can provide an avenue for students to easily contact each other for group assignments or what have you. Students can express their thoughts and exchange ideas through these media.   It can encourage more participation for those students who do not participate regularly in class.  It can help build the confidence and encourage that student to want to participate.  It is a place where resources can be quickly shared, which can only help students, teachers and parents in the long run.  While distraction is relevant, the right social media teaching strategies can lead to creative learning, and a productive approach to making social media part of ongoing development practices. 

In this generation I don’t think educators can afford not to incorporate this kind of teaching into the classroom. In some areas paper, pen and pencils are a thing of the past and carrying laptops, tablets, and smartphones is where we are now.   If we don’t provide this resource to our students does that mean we are holding our students back and not affording them the opportunities that a leading nation should? Are we stripping the students of an essential component of their future success?   

The Negative:

There have also been articles where some educators believed that social media can wreak havoc when students become distracted in the middle of class.  Some would even entertain the idea of banning social media altogether from the classroom.  Avoiding or banning social media platforms for students prohibits them from being successful professionals in different areas of life.  In today’s business environment, someone lacking not just understanding but a working knowledge of social media and social networking tools is at a competitive disadvantage. 

Social media can be a major distraction when students are using these devices to check Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Flickr, Pinterest, Instagram, Myspace or any one of the hundreds of social platforms during lessons. It can also lead to improper use of social media by students engaging in personal interactions instead of educational related activities, which could lead to posting inappropriate content and so forth.  Students may have to be closely monitored when social media instruction is being utilized.

Educators should come up with a strategy for using social media to accomplish professional, personal and organizational goals.  Teachers have to educate students to be disciplined and responsible in their use of technology.  Social Media is a tool that should be viewed as a productive way of instruction rather than a banned and a way to build future professional skills.  Social Media can certainly be a help if used in a positive manner.  It has changed how we communicate, particularly with mobile devices and other media outlets.  Teachers are turning to Twitter and other social media for professional development and students want to use it! Social Media has become the technology of choice in how the world communicates.