By Zarela Cruz
Who
hasn’t heard of Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and Google? Are we already used to
Blackboard and Moodle? Social media does encourage social connections and does
allow exchange of information at once.
Despite their drawbacks: access to questionable content,
addictive nature, bullying, and negative peer pressure, there is no doubt that they are here to
stay. Since we can either embrace technology
or neglect it, we should set up filters that prevent students from getting
distracted and/or waste their time.
We have to consider that there
are also tremendous benefits when it comes to social networks. On the
optimistic side we find that introducing the latest tools and technologies can
be a great ally and not only to the growth of our students, but also towards
the educator’s professional development.
Below, I list some positive
ways in which social media can be used in our lessons:
And it can be done in a few minutes!
How? By simply scrolling through your newsfeed. You
can also easily find relevant information by using #news. Besides, you
can discover information about different fields: from gardening to astronomy.
And at the reach of a click!
Allows Students to Get Help from Others
They can get this help from another
student or from an expert. Students can also have the chance to send private messages
to the teacher in case they need some clarification and/or want to share their
progress.
Can Encourage Student Participation
How so? Shy students will feel more
comfortable sharing their insights via internet. Social media also allows
students to collaborate with each other: by posting in Wikis and Blogs, for
example; leaving their comments and exchanging information.
Students
May Keep on Working on Topics of Their Interest
Once the activity or task
is over, students have the chance to keep on working on topics of their
interest by contacting experts. They can even find valuable related links or
websites and share them with teachers.
And What About Teachers?
Resource Sharing
By using MOOCs like
Blackboard or Moodle, teachers can share documents, videos, websites and
applications with their colleagues. These platforms also allow teachers to load
updates, messages for the students, reminders of upcoming events, tasks and
their deadlines among others.
Tool for an Educator’s Professional Growth
There
are institutional international networks that help to foster professional
growth. How? Enhancing collaboration and contacting colleagues all around the
world. Teachers can either be mentors or have mentors to get feedback about
teaching styles, classroom problems, disruptive insights and so on.
With increased web access, teachers and
students get information they may have been completely unaware of. This, in
turn, will have a say in the proper implementation of social media and
technology in class.
AND NOW, IT IS YOUR TURN:
Do you use social media and technology in
the classroom?
Are you for or against it?
References
http://www.teachhub.com/technology-classroom-reasons-use-social-mediahttps://www.teachthought.com/technology/6-ways-https://www.schoolmart.com/2017/03/02/social-media-in-the-classroom-friend-or-foe/
Biodata
Zarela Cruz graduated from Ricardo
Palma University as a translator. She also finished her master’s
studies in Linguistics and took some specialization diplomas in the
Teaching of English and Spanish. She has also completed some online
certificates: Teaching the Working Adult, Online,
Hybrid and Blended Education, among other self-study courses. She has
taught different courses, programs and levels and has been a teacher trainer, a
lecturer and online instructor for more than 25 years. She is currently
studying a master’s degree in Translation. This article aims to reflect on
the convenience of using social media and technology.
