Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are only a few of the Social Media sites that students are accessing on a daily basis. Did you know that Facebook has over 5 million users under the age of 10 ? Did you know that more people own a cell phone than a toothbrush ? Did you know that every second more than 500 hours of video is added to YouTube ?
http://www.contentfac.com/more-people-own-cell-phone-than-toothbrush-10-crazy-social-media-statistics/ Students have been exposed to and using Social Media outside of the classroom for years and with how accessible Social Media has become because of mobile devices, students are now accessing Social Media at all hours of the day. How can teachers use this to their advantage? |
Sharing InformationDr. Light uses the term "communities of practice" to highlight how social media sites provide students with the ability to interact and share ideas with many people at once. These ideas, thoughts and opinions can be shared from various locations across the world. " This group learning format appeals to younger, socially conscious learners and is built around the notion that many minds are better than one".(Tomasewzki, 2012.)
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Create a Personal Learning SpaceLearning continues beyond the classroom walls (formal learning) and students continue to learn through the spontaneous interactions that they have with people online and the interactions they have with the world wide web (informal learning). By integrating social media into their daily teaching practices and encouraging students to use social media sites to achieve curriculum expectations, teachers are creating a personal learning space for students. Essentially, teachers are encouraging informal learning to happen in a formal setting.
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PortabilityLaptops, Smartphones, tablets and Apple Watches are only a few of the many mobile devices that our students may own. Despite the fact that not all of our students may own the same mobile device, most social media websites are compatible with all of the devices and accessible so long as there is access to wireless internet service. As such, students have the ability to learn from anywhere and at anytime. They can receive notifications from their teachers and peers, they can submit assignments with the click of a button as well as they can collaborate with their classmates and work on group projects outside of the classroom and without having to be in the same location.
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