Opportunities for Learning
Facebook. The most commonly recognized social networking site but really just the tip of the iceberg. While Facebook is often the platform where social networking starts, the online activities and capabilities that take place on sites like Facebook go well beyond creating a profile and submitting status updates. You can perform a number of online activities from social networking sites including blogging, media-sharing, and commenting. But do social networking sites and the online activities they support have a place in secondary education? Social networking sites provide educational opportunities to broaden communication methods and skills, open minds, provide a platform to voice views and share information which leads to a global sharing of knowledge and overall increase in social awareness.
Increased Participation:
One of the main opportunities social networking sites offer the educational environment is increased participation within the educational community. As William Ferriter mentions in his article, Using Social Media to Reach Your Community, “For schools who’ve embraced social media spaces for tools for reaching out, the rewards are real” (2011). Social media spaces have the potential to increase participation in school life and school related activities not only for students but also for parents, community members, and teachers. Ferriter goes on to note that “Since society as a whole is actively using social media, it only makes sense to connect with the community through these means” (2011). In addition, the use of social media provides a space for adults to “tap into the thoughts and feelings of students—a group often overlooked in conversations about teaching and learning” (Ferriter, 2011). Lastly Ferriter emphasizes that “integrating social media tools into a schools’ work is essential if leaders hope to build meaningful relationships with stakeholders” (2011).
Collaboration:
Another opportunity social networking sites offer the educational environment is a space that is more conducive to collaboration. Sarah Kessler in her online article, The Case for Social Media in Schools, is quick to point out that “Social media as a teaching tool has a natural collaborative element. Students critique and comment on each other’s assignments, work in teams to create content and can easily access each other and the teacher with questions or to start a discussion” (2010). In addition, programs such as Twitter and Skype are inexpensive solutions for team-based education. Greg Ferenstein provides the following example from his online article, 3 Ways Educators Are Embracing Social Technology, using Skype to enhance language learning. He notes that in the traditional language classroom a teacher can only provide limited one-on-one attention to each student but through the use of Skype, “every student has weekly access to a free personal tutor” (Ferenstein, 2010). As an added benefit, teachers who were using Skype to supplement traditional classroom practices saw a radical increase in student motivation and out-of-class learning. Ferenstein recognizes that “Students who go above and beyond mandatory assignments will be more likely to remember class material and apply it when they get out into the working world” (2010). The use of social networking via cell phones is also exemplified by Ferenstein as a natural mode of collaboration. He notes that by integrating cell phones into the entire educational experience, educators have an efficient and natural collaborative tool that allows students to exchange questions and answers with teachers, browse classroom blogs for additional instruction, trade notes and even take a snapshot of the blackboard for later review (Ferenstein, 2010). Lastly, Ferenstein mentions the potential of social networking programs like Twitter to continue to foster collaboration outside of the classroom (2010). His examples all revolve around one simple conclusion: “students prepared for technological collaboration will graduate with a much-needed edge on the competition” (Ferenstein, 2010).
Awareness:
As teachers provide more opportunities for students to research, write, edit, perform and publish their work online, they are pushing education beyond the confines of school as Greg Toppo notes in, Social Media Find Place in Classroom (2011). He goes on to say, that this push beyond school “allows kids to broaden discussion of their work and it forces them to do ‘authentic’ work that gets tested out in the real world, as outside viewers see and respond to it” (Toppo, 2011). Toppo also says that sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, “actually push kids to do better work and pay attention to important issues such as audience, quality research and copyright laws” (2011). Michelle Davis echoes these sentiments in her article, Social Media Goes to School, in the following way, “It creates a global awareness that here is a wider world out there ant that we are not alone” (2010) and that global awareness leads to further understanding of just how many collaborative opportunities exist beyond one’s classroom, school, and community, through social networking. Michael Sacks and Nikki Graves sum this idea up the following way, “Thus, social media, when used appropriately, opens up a world of networking and relationship-building opportunities for students. Students who can communicate via informal and formal communication channels are becoming increasingly valuable in organizations” (2012, p.81).
Facebook. The most commonly recognized social networking site but really just the tip of the iceberg. While Facebook is often the platform where social networking starts, the online activities and capabilities that take place on sites like Facebook go well beyond creating a profile and submitting status updates. You can perform a number of online activities from social networking sites including blogging, media-sharing, and commenting. But do social networking sites and the online activities they support have a place in secondary education? Social networking sites provide educational opportunities to broaden communication methods and skills, open minds, provide a platform to voice views and share information which leads to a global sharing of knowledge and overall increase in social awareness.
Increased Participation:
One of the main opportunities social networking sites offer the educational environment is increased participation within the educational community. As William Ferriter mentions in his article, Using Social Media to Reach Your Community, “For schools who’ve embraced social media spaces for tools for reaching out, the rewards are real” (2011). Social media spaces have the potential to increase participation in school life and school related activities not only for students but also for parents, community members, and teachers. Ferriter goes on to note that “Since society as a whole is actively using social media, it only makes sense to connect with the community through these means” (2011). In addition, the use of social media provides a space for adults to “tap into the thoughts and feelings of students—a group often overlooked in conversations about teaching and learning” (Ferriter, 2011). Lastly Ferriter emphasizes that “integrating social media tools into a schools’ work is essential if leaders hope to build meaningful relationships with stakeholders” (2011).
Collaboration:
Another opportunity social networking sites offer the educational environment is a space that is more conducive to collaboration. Sarah Kessler in her online article, The Case for Social Media in Schools, is quick to point out that “Social media as a teaching tool has a natural collaborative element. Students critique and comment on each other’s assignments, work in teams to create content and can easily access each other and the teacher with questions or to start a discussion” (2010). In addition, programs such as Twitter and Skype are inexpensive solutions for team-based education. Greg Ferenstein provides the following example from his online article, 3 Ways Educators Are Embracing Social Technology, using Skype to enhance language learning. He notes that in the traditional language classroom a teacher can only provide limited one-on-one attention to each student but through the use of Skype, “every student has weekly access to a free personal tutor” (Ferenstein, 2010). As an added benefit, teachers who were using Skype to supplement traditional classroom practices saw a radical increase in student motivation and out-of-class learning. Ferenstein recognizes that “Students who go above and beyond mandatory assignments will be more likely to remember class material and apply it when they get out into the working world” (2010). The use of social networking via cell phones is also exemplified by Ferenstein as a natural mode of collaboration. He notes that by integrating cell phones into the entire educational experience, educators have an efficient and natural collaborative tool that allows students to exchange questions and answers with teachers, browse classroom blogs for additional instruction, trade notes and even take a snapshot of the blackboard for later review (Ferenstein, 2010). Lastly, Ferenstein mentions the potential of social networking programs like Twitter to continue to foster collaboration outside of the classroom (2010). His examples all revolve around one simple conclusion: “students prepared for technological collaboration will graduate with a much-needed edge on the competition” (Ferenstein, 2010).
Awareness:
As teachers provide more opportunities for students to research, write, edit, perform and publish their work online, they are pushing education beyond the confines of school as Greg Toppo notes in, Social Media Find Place in Classroom (2011). He goes on to say, that this push beyond school “allows kids to broaden discussion of their work and it forces them to do ‘authentic’ work that gets tested out in the real world, as outside viewers see and respond to it” (Toppo, 2011). Toppo also says that sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, “actually push kids to do better work and pay attention to important issues such as audience, quality research and copyright laws” (2011). Michelle Davis echoes these sentiments in her article, Social Media Goes to School, in the following way, “It creates a global awareness that here is a wider world out there ant that we are not alone” (2010) and that global awareness leads to further understanding of just how many collaborative opportunities exist beyond one’s classroom, school, and community, through social networking. Michael Sacks and Nikki Graves sum this idea up the following way, “Thus, social media, when used appropriately, opens up a world of networking and relationship-building opportunities for students. Students who can communicate via informal and formal communication channels are becoming increasingly valuable in organizations” (2012, p.81).
Opportunities for Teaching
There is no disguising the fact that providing students opportunities to use social networking in class changes the way educators teach and students learn (Davis, 2010). As Charles Crook implies, “The students are oriented to their use, educational theory encourages taking advantage of their possibilities, and industry is hungry for students experienced in these ways of thinking and interacting” (2012, p.65) therefore it seems foolish not to find ways to embrace this trend. In addition, many researchers, including Luigi Proserpio and Dennis Gioia, recognize that if we are “no longer teaching a verbal, nor even just a visual, but now a virtual generation of students” that in order for optimal teaching and learning to occur, our teaching styles need to align with the new learning styles of this generation (2007, p.69). This new form of education will require teaching new skills but will also offer more opportunities for students to be creative, innovative and above all connect what they are learning to the real world.
New Skills:
In the article, Teaching the Virtual Generation, authors Luigi Proserpio and Dennis Gioia recognize that “technical and social changes in the wider environment can have major implications for teaching and learning pedagogies” (2007, p.69). They further emphasize that “Such changes imply the we as educators should explore some of the implications of the progressive shift from verbal to visual and virtual approaches to learning” (2007, p.70), a solution that may be found in increasing access to social networking sites. For example, teaching Web 2.0 Literacy, a new skill buzzword floating around educational circles that implies “teaching fluency in expressive modalities beyond written text” (Crook, 2012, p.75). This is one of the many skills social networking sites social media tools supports. As Sarah Kessler notes in, The Case for Social Media in Schools, “when kids are engaged they learn better” and Proserpio and Gioia also point out that “the effective use of some electronic learning tools can provide useful and engaging means for education by addressing this generation’s preferences for virtual media” (2007, p.69). This is where social networking allows for relevant avenues to make learning fun and engaging. In addition, through the use of such sites and online activities, we have a grand opportunity to replace what was once simply online procrastination with skills in social education. Sarah Kessler emphasizes that there’s no reason schools shouldn’t compete for a part of kids time by using social media sites educationally (2010). She provides examples of social media tools that are safe and free such as www.kidblog.org, a site that allows teachers to provide opportunities for students to share creative content while also maintaining safe control of the online environment (Kessler2, 2010).
There is no disguising the fact that providing students opportunities to use social networking in class changes the way educators teach and students learn (Davis, 2010). As Charles Crook implies, “The students are oriented to their use, educational theory encourages taking advantage of their possibilities, and industry is hungry for students experienced in these ways of thinking and interacting” (2012, p.65) therefore it seems foolish not to find ways to embrace this trend. In addition, many researchers, including Luigi Proserpio and Dennis Gioia, recognize that if we are “no longer teaching a verbal, nor even just a visual, but now a virtual generation of students” that in order for optimal teaching and learning to occur, our teaching styles need to align with the new learning styles of this generation (2007, p.69). This new form of education will require teaching new skills but will also offer more opportunities for students to be creative, innovative and above all connect what they are learning to the real world.
New Skills:
In the article, Teaching the Virtual Generation, authors Luigi Proserpio and Dennis Gioia recognize that “technical and social changes in the wider environment can have major implications for teaching and learning pedagogies” (2007, p.69). They further emphasize that “Such changes imply the we as educators should explore some of the implications of the progressive shift from verbal to visual and virtual approaches to learning” (2007, p.70), a solution that may be found in increasing access to social networking sites. For example, teaching Web 2.0 Literacy, a new skill buzzword floating around educational circles that implies “teaching fluency in expressive modalities beyond written text” (Crook, 2012, p.75). This is one of the many skills social networking sites social media tools supports. As Sarah Kessler notes in, The Case for Social Media in Schools, “when kids are engaged they learn better” and Proserpio and Gioia also point out that “the effective use of some electronic learning tools can provide useful and engaging means for education by addressing this generation’s preferences for virtual media” (2007, p.69). This is where social networking allows for relevant avenues to make learning fun and engaging. In addition, through the use of such sites and online activities, we have a grand opportunity to replace what was once simply online procrastination with skills in social education. Sarah Kessler emphasizes that there’s no reason schools shouldn’t compete for a part of kids time by using social media sites educationally (2010). She provides examples of social media tools that are safe and free such as www.kidblog.org, a site that allows teachers to provide opportunities for students to share creative content while also maintaining safe control of the online environment (Kessler2, 2010).
However, students aren’t the only ones who can learn new skills through social networking and social media tools. Michelle Davis in the article, Social Media Goes to School, notes the many ways teachers can and are using social networking to connect with other teachers and participate in professional development. She says, “Social networking is allowing teachers, who often feel isolated in their classrooms, to revolutionize the way they connect with others” and that “social networking is revolutionizing the way teachers improve their skills” (Davis, 2010). She goes on to state that “With social networking allowing teachers to connect one-to-one and one-to-many, they have the professional development that they really desire” (Davis, 2010). This exemplifies the desire of educators to match their teaching styles to the changing learning styles of their students.
Creative, Innovative and Meaningful Experiences:
Students have at their fingertips a vast array of social networking sites and tools to draw on and all of these things allow students to create knowledge, connect knowledge and combine knowledge in ways that using paper and pencil never did (Luschen & Bogad, 2010, p.453, Davis, 2010). Luigi Proserpio and Dennis Gioia recognize that a new culture has emerged, the ‘Internet culture’ where “the key features include connectivity, redundancy, free information (and lots of it), speed, self-pacing, snowballing (pursuing thought threads from hyperlink to hyperlink) and impersonal interactivity; essentially a culture that emphasizes immediacy, curiosity and intellectual openness” (2007, p.71-72) all of which translates into infinite possibilities for students’ academic work. Sites like YouTube, Kristen Luschen and Lesley Bogad note, “both reach a robust audience and, increasingly, are being staked out by young people for creative expression” (2010, p.454) an insight educators should be careful not to waste. Not only do these sites allow for creative and innovative expression, but they offer what Proserio and Gioia call “double-loop learning” meaning that these experiences are less focused on content and more on logics and processes which lead to a better understanding of the subject of study and other kinds of complex problems (2007, p.73). What we have here is an opportunity to not only allow for creativity and innovation, skills prized in the workforce, but also an opportunity to create experiences that will translate in real life and help students to understand and solve the myriad of complex problems with which they will one day be faced.
What does it all mean?:
We can no longer ignore the reality that faces us. As Proserpio and Gioia have pointed out, students’ learning styles are influenced by their exposure to these media and technologies and we are responsible for making sure that those changing learning styles are accounted for if we ever hope to maximize their learning in the classroom setting (2007, p.70, 72). Kessler emphasizes that “social media, like the Internet, will be a part of our world for a long time” and “it’s better to teach it than to fight it” (2, 2010). We are also responsible for making sure students are learning how to use social media for good. The American Library Association echoes this view and encourages schools and libraries to reconsider before blocking students from social media. Their policy statement on this topic says that “instead of restricting access, librarians and teachers should educate minors to participate responsibly, ethically and safely” (Toppo, 2011). Allowing students to use social networking and media responsibly is necessary and important for as Sacks and Graves note, “Social media not only serve as communication tools for students but shape the way they construct their social and professional identities” (2012, p.80). It is evident that the virtual environment allows for different learning opportunities, maybe even better opportunities but we need to also recognize that the nature of the virtual teaching and learning experience is different and also provides different challenges (Proserpio & Gioia, 2007, p.72).
additional resources:
Watch the video below to see Dr. Paul Howard-Jones answer the question, “Is the internet bad for us?” He compares the dangers of technology to those of fire-making to prove that it’s all about how we use the technology. He counters the theory that it is technology changing our brains with the notion that learning is actually what is causing the change. And that’s not such a bad thing.
Click on the Open Source Learning button below to watch the TED Talk in which Rice University professor Richard Baraniuk explains the vision behind Connexions, his open-source, online education system. His vision enables anyone in the world to be their own educational DJ allowing them to share, create and innovate. His program, Connexions, allows for sharing content in many ways, giving the user the opportunity to personalize the learning experience and reuse and connect materials in new ways. He believes interconnections between ideas are what teaching is all about and therefore created a space to share knowledge and make an impact.
Click on the Khan Academy button below to watch founder Salman Khan talk about why he created the academy and why he says his cousins like many students prefer the automated version of a person. He shows the power of interactive exercises and that by removing the one-size-fits-all lecture from the classroom and allowing the work aspect to take place there instead, teachers have used technology to humanize the classroom. Watch as he explains the Khan Academy philosophy of experimentation to get to mastery no matter how long it takes. It is the best of using technology to facilitate differentiated learning. You can also visit www.khanacademy.org for more information.
Just Math Tutorials is a site created and facilitated by a current math teacher. His mission is “to provide clear and thorough explanations, and to present them in an environment in which the student is comfortable”.
YouTube for Schools brings the power of video into the classroom for free. The site provides access to thousands of comprehensive, school-appropriate, customizable, and teacher-friendly educational videos all ready for classroom use.
For a complete list of sources used, please click the Resources button on the Secondary Education Introduction page.