Ready Or Not Social Media Is Here!!

Educators are responsible for meeting students where they are and guiding them through obstacles to grasp the designated yearly objectives. To best teach their students, they have to be willing to grow and add tools and new strategies to keep up with the changing world. Over the past few years technology has become a driving force within the classrooms. Social media has taken on a life of itself. Hicks (2013) explains, “Social Networks are becoming the way most people experience life online” (p.137).  Many teachers are finding themselves in a whole new world. In the beginning, some may find this new world to be challenging and uncomfortable. Giebelhausen (2015) agrees by stating, “For the current digital beginner, the world of social media may appear large and overwhelming”.  Hicks (2013) stated, ‘ While it is difficult for those of us who are still catching up with the latest social media craze to think of all the possibilities for using it in our classrooms indicates that we must rethink why and how we are using digital writing tools in our classrooms” (p.138). It is not acceptable for an educator to use the lack of knowledge of technology as a reason to not include technology in their classroom. Giebelhausen (2015) explains, “When learning new technology, YouTube provides the most straightforward way to engage and learn while hearing and seeing instructions simultaneously”.

When social media is used within a classroom it should be a tool that is used to enhance the learning and engagement of the students. Hicks (2013) argues, “Merely signing on and posting a series of messages isn’t tapping the possibilities of this socially networked digital writing practice” (p.137) A teacher can assign assignments that call for students to log in and post a response but this is not using social media to its fullest potential. Social media has so much more to offer, if the teacher is willing to work with it and learn how to effectively incorporate the tool in their lesson planning.

Social media is not a new concept to most students. Giebelhausen (2015) reasons, “Beginning with engagement, many students are hooked into social media and see it as an integral part of their lives”.  Social media is something that students use on a daily basis, outside of the classroom. They are familiar with posting, tweeting, snapping, and liking things through social media. This does not mean that there is nothing for teachers to teacher about social media. Turner (2017) explains, “Individuals often respond emotionally to what they read in social networks, posting or reposting without critically analyzing the argument being made” (p. 94).  It is the teacher’s job to teach the students how to slow down and truly think through what they are reading before they perform an action on social media. A great tool for this is MAPS from chapter 4 of Crafting Digital Writing. Hicks (2013) states, “Slowing down just long enough to think through a text message, status update, or tweet – and thinking about audience, purpose, and situation—helps them to be responsible, present a good first online impression, and participate actively in a variety of communities” (p. 139). Teachers must not forget that this reading and writing even when it is online is still reading and writing. Turner (2017) agrees by stating, “These quick bursts of writing , we add, are often arguments –advocating for an idea, drawing in more evidence, making connections to existing arguments and building on them” (p.98). It may look different then writing and reading from the past but at the end of the day it is still writing and reading. Turner (2017) states, “Reading and writing are never neutral activities and we must encourage students to be mindful as they participate in social media” (p.99).

Teaching students how to effective write through social media is one thing but we must also teach the students how to be safe online. Hicks (2013) explains, Stalkers, cyberbullies, spammers, viruses, and other invasions to our privacy come as a consequence of living life online” (p. 138). Most students have grown up with social media and therefore fail to see the dangers that can come from it. The internet is full of scams and misinformation.  Turner (2017) encourages, “The solution, we know is that we must teach our students to become vetters of information” (p.97) It is important to teach students first that everyone on social media is not always who they say they are and second just because it is online does not make it true information.  It is up to teachers to teach students how to protect themselves, online, and how to investigate information to verify what is true. There are several websites that give great information about keeping students safe online. I recommend the following two sites:

Child Rescue Network

Safe Search Kids

Also there are several videos to share with students about online safety on YouTube.  I have included the following to give you a preview of what is available.

References

A Teens Guide to Social Media Safety. (2016, December 24). Retrieved June 22, 2018, from https://www.safesearchkids.com/a-teens-guide-to-social-media-safety/#.Wy2nfJcnaUk

Giebelhausen, R. (2014). What the Tech Is Going On? Social Media and Your Music Classroom. General Music Today, 28(2), 39-46. doi:10.1177/1048371314552523

Hicks, T. (2013). Crafting digital writing: Composing texts across media and genres. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Internet Safety. (n.d.). Retrieved June 22, 2018, from http://childrescuenetwork.org/keeping-children-safe/internet-safety/

C. (2014, September 04). Oversharing: Think Before You Post. Retrieved June 22, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyjd73tUXig

Turner, K. H., & Hicks, T. (2017). Argument in the real world: Teaching adolescents to read and write digital texts. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.