Using Social Media in the Classroom?

Are you a fan of social media in the classroom?

Personally, I think it is a great way to connect with students these days. Students are getting cellphones and other mobile devices at very early ages. They are able to work a computer, tablet, iPhone, etc. before they are even out of their "toddler" years. There is no disputing that students today are digital natives, and much prefer to complete classwork, homework, and other assignments using technology. I think that, as educators, we should start trying to bridge the gap between communication inside the classroom and communication outside of the classroom. Students often tend to talk to their friends via social media. This allows them to talk to multiple friends at one time, and to share their thoughts, pictures, etc., in a public forum. I believe that teachers, especially those teaching older grades (intermediate and up) should incorporate social media into their classrooms.

I recently started using Twiducate in my classroom during math centers, and it was HUGE hit! After I did a whole group lesson, I had the students post what they learned. Students without a mobile device can access this from a computer. The students have now started to ask me if they can post on Twiducate during their free time and from home. Naturally, I was thrilled by this! They were so enthralled with the technology and collaboration aspect, that they actually wanted to talk about math. Twiducate is a great resource, as it allows teachers to monitor all posts. A setting for all posts to be accepted by the teacher is an option.

Overall, I think using social media will get our students excited about learning. They get to communicate with their peers on various topics in a way that they enjoy.

I think this info-graphic does a great job of explaining the benefits of using social media in the classroom.