Authors: Kayla Kubitza, Kimberly McKnight, & Cheyenne Cook
Source: www.elearningtransforms.com
What is social media?
According to Merriam-Webster (2015) online dictionary, social media is “forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (such as videos and pictures)” (para. 1). Some of the more popular social media platforms include Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Reddit, and Pinterest. People have been using social media for over two decades to communicate in an online setting for personal use. Now, a wave of change is occurring as our students are more social media literate than those before them. Teachers may find benefits by using social media in the classroom because students are familiar with the tools being implemented. Social media can positively impact engagement, increase communication, and enhance student’s learning styles (Graham, 2014).
Source: Marcia Conner & Tony Bingham - The New Social Learning: Transforming Your Organizations Through Social Media
Social Media and Education
As seen in the infographic above, social media and education work powerfully together to impact, increase, and enhance our student’s learning environment (Graham, 2014). As illustrated in Table 1.1, teachers use social media in a variety of ways in the classroom. Not only do these types of activities encourage creative thinking and social interaction, they also address a variety of learning styles sure to engage all learners. Table 1.1 is just a small glimpse at the possibilities with using social media in the classroom.
Table 1.1 Social Media in the Classroom
Social Media Tool
|
Activity
|
Learning Style(s)
|
Twitter
|
Create a class hashtag (#) to have running discussion, ask questions about assignments, collaborate with other students.
|
Visual
|
Google Hangouts
|
Use to facilitate guest speaker discussions, create online tutorials
|
Visual
Auditory
|
Instagram
|
Teachers can showcase student work, demonstrate steps in an assignment, or capture field trip memories
|
Visual
|
Fakebook
|
Students can create social networks for historical figures or characters from a novel
|
Visual
|
YouTube
|
Students can create movie trailers or commercials.
|
Visual
Auditory
Tactile
|
Social media use in education is not limited to only the classroom. Social media can be utilized to communicate with all the stakeholders in the district. Using platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, or Blogger may increase communication with parents and students. Patrick Larkin (2015) discussed an incident involving a threat and subsequent evacuation at the campus on which he worked. He posted information regarding the incident on his blog, allowing parents and community members to stay informed. Larkin stated he was waiting for his inbox to fill with messages but it never did. He attributed this to the comment feature in his blog because readers were able to communicate and ask questions instantly during the incident. The image below addresses why districts should use social media to communicate with all stakeholders.
Source: www.slideshare.net
Social Media and Constructivism
According to Roblyer (2013) constructivism can be summarized by saying “humans construct all knowledge in their minds by participating in certain experiences. Learning occurs when one constructs both mechanisms for learning and one’s own unique version of the knowlegde, colored by background, experiences, and aptitudes” (Roblyer, 2013, p. 37).
When you see the word constructivism, you should think cooperative learning. The teaching and learning methods of the constructivist model stresses group, cooperative work. You can think about problem based learning (PBL) because this learning theory promotes students generating their own knowledge. Constructivism has its roots in preparing students for real world work scenarios by working cooperatively in groups and taking ownership over their learning.
Of course, with every theory there is a downside. The downside to the constructivist model is that it is hard to “certify students’ individual skill levels” (Roblyer, 2013, p. 47). Pairing the directed instructional model and the constructivist model becomes essential because teachers are able to have the best of both worlds. By pairing the two models together you can have the cooperative work but also hold each individual student accountable by using traditional assessment methods at the end.
Because constructivism is rooted in collaboration and social interactions, social media lends itself quite well to this theory. A constructivist teacher will use Web 2.0 tools such as Google Tools, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, and much more to allow students to share, network, and collaborate on a global level. There are, however, barriers and concerns when incorporating social media into regular classroom use. Some of those barriers are:
- Lack of technology
- Technical issues and difficulties
- Lack of training for teachers
- Student privacy concerns
Teachers should teach netiquette that govern behavior when communicating on the Internet (Roblyer, 2013, p. 221), when implementing any new social media use in the classroom. Remind students social media is simply an extension of the classroom and the same privacy policies will be in place. If a teacher does not have access to reliable internet or internet ready devices, teachers will not be able to meet the 21st century learning needs of students. All in all, teachers need to be advocates for the unique needs of 21st century learners by encouraging school district and lawmaking officials to make technology in the classroom a priority (Tarantino, McDonough, & Hua, 2013).
References
Agozzino, A. (2012). Capitalizing on social media: Recommendations for using Facebook in the classroom. Ubiquitous Learning: An International Journal, 5(3), 43-52.
Bingham, T., & Conner, M. L. (2010). The new social learning: a guide to transforming organizations through social media. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press.
Clayton, M. J., Hettche, M., & Dae-Hee, K. (2014). Moving participation beyond the classroom: Who benefits from online social communities?. Journal Of Advertising Education, 18(1), 5.
Graham, M. (2014). Social media as a tool for increased student participation and engagement outside the classroom in higher education. Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice, 2(3), 16-24.
Larkin, P. (2015) Say it with social media. Educational Leadership, 72(7), 66-69.
Merriam-Webster. (2015). Social media. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20media
Mondahl, M. & Razmerita, L. (2014). Social media, collaboration and social learning –
A case-study of foreign language learning. The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 12, 4, 339-352. Retrieved from http://www.ejel.org/volume12/issue4/p339
Social Media Wordle [Infographic]. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.elearningtransforms.com
Tarantino, K., McDonough, J., & Hua, M. (2013). Effects of student engagement with social media on student learning: A review of literature. The Journal of Technology in Student Affairs.
Why use social media? [Infographic]. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.slideshare.com
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