Social Media in Education

What is Social Media?

Social media includes websites and applications that allow users to share ideas, pictures, videos, and more. The expanding world of social media has endless possibilities for both good and bad. It is used to keep up with old friends, connect with new friends, and even promote businesses; however, social media has also been the source of many scandals. From aiding the circulation of inappropriate pictures to being a source for crude gossip, we are forced to ask ourselves where to limit social media. Is there a greater value that makes all of the misuse worth it?
 

Does Social Media Have a Place in Schools?

Social Media has gained momentum over the last ten years, and even though it is relatively recent, it would be difficult to find someone who hasn't heard of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or one of the many other popular sites. Some sites are more heavily populated by adults or focus on business networking while others are populated more by youth or focus on funny videos and pictures. Both have their purposes, but they could serve a greater purpose and be used for education. Many teachers have been fired because of their interactions with students on social media sites; however, many teachers have also effectively and professionally used social media to enhance students' learning experiences. So what are the pros and cons of allowing social media to be in schools?

Pros:

Social Media has become a part of daily life and is the next step in the growth of technology. Our schools should continue to grow with technology; otherwise, our students will not be prepared for the future. Students can gain experience and gain a more dynamic education through the innovative use of social media. Youtube videos can help to demonstrate concepts, blogs and forums can facilitate discussions between students, and students can create their own projects utilizing the different social media resources available. The following infographic offers statistics related to social media use, benefits for educators and students, and examples of how the different social media sites can be used in education. 

Cons:

There are many cases documented of inappropriate interaction between teachers and students due to social media sites such as Twitter or Facebook. School officials against social media use in schools have also argued that it is harder to track bullying and that students will become distracted in classes instead of focusing on learning. There have been studies with findings that social media has worsened the spelling abilities of its users. The following video demonstrates how students in Brazil responded to the poor grammar used on social media sites. 

In The End...

These students took a disadvantage of social media and turned it into a learning opportunity. As for the other objections to social media use in schools, in my opinion, there are dangers everywhere. They still exist regardless of rather social media is used in schools or not. Embracing the use of social media in schools allows an enriched learning experience and is a great opportunity to educate students on how to use social media safely and responsibly.  

References

Chen, D., & McGeehen, P. (2012, May 1). Social media rules limit student-teacher contact - NYTimes.com.The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. Retrieved September 6, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/02/nyregion/social-media-rules-for-nyc-school-staff-limits-contact-with-students.html?pagewanted=all

 

Hepadmin. (2013, March 14). Pros and cons of social media education in schools. Hepcatsmarketing.com. Retrieved September 6, 2013, from http://blog.hepcatsmarketing.com/2013/03/14/pros-and-cons-of-social-media-education-in-schools/

 

Is social media ruining our grammar? - The Daily Beast. (n.d.). The Daily Beast. Retrieved September 6, 2013, from http://www.thedailybeast.com/videos/2013/07/17/is-social-media-ruining-our-grammar.htm

 

Nicholls, S. (2012, June 26). My view: Don’t ban social media from schools – Schools of Thought - CNN.com Blogs.Schools of Thought - CNN.com Blogs. Retrieved September 6, 2013, from http://schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/26/my-view-dont-ban-social-media-from-schools/?iref=allsearch

 

Sheninger, E. (2012, January 3). Leverage social media's potential - Room for Debate - NYTimes.com. The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. Retrieved September 6, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/01/03/the-frontier-of-classroom-technology/leverage-social-medias-potential

 

Sifferlin, A. (2013, February 22). “Sticks and stones:” Does Facebook and Twitter give bullying more power? TIME.com.Health & Family - A healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit. Retrieved September 6, 2013, from http://healthland.time.com/2013/02/22/sticks-and-stones-does-facebook-and-twitter-give-bullying-more-power/

 

The use of social media in school. (n.d.).Masters in Education. M.Ed. Program Reviews and Rankings. Retrieved September 6, 2013, from http://www.bestmastersineducation.com/social-media/