Social Media in the Classroom

As social media evolves at an increasingly exponential rate, so too does its role in the classroom. As a high school teacher, I think about social media and the implications it has for my students in both the academic and personal lives. I teach at an independent school, which means I am likely guided by a slightly different set of rules than some. Yet, there are challenges. 
  • How much (and what kind of) social media "is appropriate" for my students? 
  • Is the answer the same for ninth grade students as it is for seniors? 
  • To what extent does my personal social media use influence how I see classroom social media use? This particular question plagues me most these days. How much should the line blur between personal and professional? My favorite middle school teacher is memorable because we followed the MLB pennant race in class. I don't recall much of what he taught but he kept us all "engaged" and I'm quire sure my statistical skills (as well as math, in general) improved. You can see from my Twitter feed that I remain a sports fan, although these days I tend to "tweet" about my own children.
I stumbled on the video and links below one day while I was thinking about social media. It's comforting to see a confident teacher who knows which boundaries work for her classroom. I was also delighted that she teaches in Saskatchewan, home to two of my favorite teachers (Stu & Karen).

Mrs. Cassidy

Kathy Cassidy in a primary teacher in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan (Canada). She uses Twitter and a classroom blog to share her students' work.

Questions about Social Media?

  • What types of social media are acceptable for classrooms?
  • Does the age of the student or the course topic influence the type of social media that is acceptable?
  • How can student experiences with social media in the classroom serve as models for good social media use outside the classroom?

Critical Thinking Skills & Media Literacy

Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media. Media literate youth and adults are better able to understand the complex messages we receive from television, radio, Internet, newspapers, magazines, books, billboards, video games, music, and all other forms of media. Media literacy skills are included in the educational standards of every state—in language arts, social studies, health, science, and other subjects.  Many educators have discovered that media literacy is an effective and engaging way to apply critical thinking skills to a wide range of issues.

Source: Media Literacy Project

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