Social Media in Education

Welcome back!

This weeks topic dives into social media in education. Right before I started to blog tonight, I actually just finished up posting on my class Instagram page. I am an active user on many social media platforms. However, one I use in my classroom is Instagram. This platform allows me to post my students with parent consent. I believe my class page has many benefits. My students families can follow this private account and see what we are doing inside the classroom. Not only can parents see student work and activities, but most of the families allow me to follow them back. This allows us to engage in each other's posts. I love being able to make connections with my students by seeing something they did at home during the week and weekends. This really helps me build relationships with both my families and students. 

Check out this infographic from a blog posted by David Geurin. He shares many great asepcts of using social media in school. 

Photo Source: David Geurin Blog

I agree with all of his points made in this blog and infographic. My students truly enjoy me taking pictures of them throughout the day and making a post for their families to see. Many of times, my students will ask "Ms. Edwards can you take my picture real quick". This questions arises when students are having fun while learning or if they created something cool. I also have my third grade students tell me that their parents asked about a certain activity. These posts throughout the week ensure that students don't go home and say they didn't learn anything. Also, my young students are beginning to enter the world of technology and I start teaching them about becoming digital citizens. A new term I have recently learned is "digital tattoo" and I would like to use this phrase with them. This will let me teach them how to be safe on the internet and be careful what they post!