Descriptive:
What is currently happening: My current situation is that I use Social Media confidently in my own personal life but I have not explored using it in classrooms. I have used blogging in a classroom, and this was for sharing our work with whanau and getting comments and responses. I have also used Skype to video chat with other classes around NZ. I also have been on learnz virtual fieldtrips with my classes.
One of the reasons that I havent started using a wider range of Social Media is due to the restrictions on our school internet network. Some of the common social media sites are blocked like facebook, twitter, instagram.
Comparative:
Having watched the TED video today and seeing the benefits of using social media in the classroom I am inspired to use more sicial media to capture a world wide audience. The great learning opportunities before we start to discuss digital footprints and how everything that is posted stays out there forever. Teaching our students to think about everything they post and ask themselves (Would I say this in front of my Mother) are such good life lessons because our students are going to deal with this in the rest of their lives and now is a good time to start modeling these behaviours.
We have had Social Media blocked on our school network since we became an N4L school in 2013. It is time to move with the times and go and see the BOT to discuss unblocking some of these social media sites so they can be used with an educational purpose inside the classroom. Twitter would be the first that I would like to use with a classroom. I have examined lots of benefits for using this with the children like world wide audiences, improving reading and writing skills, being precise with what they post as you only have 140 characters or less per post and getting critical feedback from others. I also see the benefits of being part of twitter iniatives like chapter chat. This allows students to connect with others who are reading the same texts and critically reflect on the texts using social media.
Critical Reflection:
What are the implications on my practice?
One of the first things I need to do is talk to our BOT about the benfits of using social media in classrooms and requesting to unblock twitter off of our school network. I will share with them all of the benefits shared above.
Before I even start though I will revise our digital safety/citizen unit in regards to using twitter. We start the year off with this unit and through blogging and leaving comments on others work we have addressed the impact of our words but this unit will need to be reviewed to make sure it covers the aspect of digital footprints and the childs responsibility to be respectful online as well as in person.
This has made me think alot as so much of social media I have not really discussed with the students because I had the midset that they are primary school aged and they are not allowed to use social media like facebook and instagram till they are 13, but actually we know that some parents let their chilren have social media accounts before that. So by introducing a tool like twitter into the classroom I can address all the issues of social media, how to report inappropriate comments, how to be respectful online but also have a voice so that our students are prepared in case they are accessing social media at home.
It's exciting to see the impact MindLab is having on us as teachers but also as a school! I have reflected in my own blog, about how we may be able to look into Twitter as a means to engage students with the wider world, at our school. It is exciting to read the research and how it is impacting on literacy and in particular writing skills. So with us as teachers at ground "zero" and the management team on board, we can probably build a strong pedagogy, digital citizenship policy and begin to have students benefit from world connections online.
ReplyDeleteHi Tina
ReplyDeleteI have also been inspired on the benefits of ‘social media’ and the use of ‘twitter’ in the classroom. I can now see the benefits it can have in students learning due to availability of being connected to anyone around the world. Imagine connecting to a class in ‘Scotland’ and students being able to learn about the country and culture and vice versa. I personally think it is sometimes our own mindset as well as lack of understanding of forms of technology that prevents these learning tools being implemented. Completing this Mindlab course has definitely given me the confidence to try out some of these initiates in the classroom to help benefit students learning.