What Exactly is the Role of Social Media in the Classroom?

Right off the bat you are probably wondering how on earth social media could possibly play an important part in the classroom.  I understand, for I was skeptical at first myself.  However, according to The Nielson Company (2010), as noted by Gayton (2013) the amount of time spent by students on social networks and blogs has experienced a 43% increase, occupying 13.5 minutes out of one hour of Internet usage time.  The time has come for educators to incorporate social media into the curriculum. 

In order to catch up to our already technology savvy students, educators are exploring different avenues for technology integration.  Heatley and Lattimer (2013) write about a teacher who is incorporating Twitter into her English class.  Using twitter helps those students who may be shy or hesitant to speak out in class.  Allowing students to answer her via a tweet gives this teacher a whole new perspective on what her students are thinking. 

Although the students using twitter in English class are well beyond elementary age, we can still use social media to enhance learning in the elementary classroom.  One social media site that I use quite often is YouTube.  According to Heatly and Lattimer (2013) the use of YouTube is an effective way to keep lessons interesting and unique, which will in turn increase student interest.  Teachers can also upload lessons or events onto YouTube for students to watch at home.

Facebook is a popular site that has potential for educational purposes.  As noted by Scott, (Prensky, 2010) states that Facebook provides the ability for people to connect with particular groups, view their frequent comments and reply to them as well.  A class may choose to follow a particular group related to what the class is learning about.  Such groups might be the astronauts at NASA, mountain climbers or explorers in the rainforest.  Facebook would allow students to get an up-to-date perspective on daily life, as well as ask questions or comments.

According to Scott, (2012) social media sites such as Twitter provide many benefits including: aiding in classroom management by allowing the teacher to post homework, send out reminders for up-coming events, post student work, create a library of uploads, share photos and provide a place for parent feedback just to name a few.  It is because of these reasons that I have decided to make Twitter part of my classroom.  All the schools in our district now have Twitter accounts, and I am sure that parents will quickly become accustomed to looking to Twitter feeds for the latest news and information.

Follow my class on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Mrshilarywalter

Gayton, Jorge (2013). Integrating Social Media into the Learning Environment of the Class-Room:

            Following Social Constructivism Principles.  Journal of Applied Research

            For Business Instruction, 11, 1

Scott, Shantel Marie (2012). Go Ahead…Be Social: Using Social Media to Enhance the Twenty-

            First Century Classroom.  Distance Learning, 9, 54-59.

Heatley, Elizabeth R., & Lattimer, Talana R. (2013).  Using Social Media to Enhance Student

            Learning.  Techniques, 88, 1, 8-9.