Week 2

Coming into this course I am aware the controversy revolving around the incorporation of social media into the classroom. Using social media in the classroom can be detrimental to the students in a number of ways; however, the sacrifices teachers make by not embracing this powerful tool may be far greater. Social media can be dangerous if misused by students in way that could put them at risk of numerous things, such as cyber-bullying or being targeted by a predator. Nevertheless, if social media is used properly it can open up a rich new world to students that can be both engaging and educational. I know very little about Web 2.0; however, I have been part of social media in some form or another since high school.

If we leave either Web 2.0 or social media entirely out of education I feel it is robbing students of a number of things. There are students who struggle to share their thoughts throughout classroom discussions but these same children may thrive in a setting that they can share their ideas and opinions through writing, like in a class forum. In addition to this benefit of incorporating Web 2.0 and social media there are many other pros to using either technological resource. In the business field today, or just about any employment field for that matter, it is important to learn how to conduct yourself properly on the internet. It is important for us as educators to teach our students how easy it is for employers to follow up on their employees through social media. It is also vital that we emphasize that once something is on the internet it is out there forever and for anyone to see, despite the precautions we may attempt to take. If we do not teach our students how social media or Web 2.0 works, who will? I understand we are attempting to protect our students but they are growing up in an era that their entire lives can be found on the internet. By the time these students become adults it is likely that technology will rule their lives; therefore, as educators we must show them how to use it safely and even how to use it in a way that could help them become their best and even foster the curiosity that many students lose through just generic instruction. Students are interested in the internet and particularly social media so why not use that to help educate them?


Article arguing for social media