Week Three: Reflection #2: Social Media Is Not the End of Learning

“Promoting digital citizenship through collaboration involves teaching students how to comment on posts, curate material, and share information with others through social media.” -Monica Burns, Tasks Before Apps (2018)

Let’s face it, our students are probably more technologically savvy than we were at their ages. When I was in high school, the biggest social media around was Facebook, but that’s not the case for the students that I currently teach. They’ve informed me that Facebook and Twitter are for “old people and moms,” and, from what I’ve seen and heard, they prefer Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube. Our students, especially those in high school, are facing this constant barrage of media: They’re the ultimate media consumers.

The biggest take away that I got from the readings during Week Three, and our class discussion, is that we can aid our students in using social media for good. Social media does not have to be this place where our students' brains will inevitably turn into pixelated dust; it’s not the death of learning. In fact, every time a student goes on social media, I think that they can actually learn something new about the world—when they use social media correctly. If they follow news outlets on Instagram, then our students would be exposed to current events and what is going on in the world today. They might even have the opportunity to read a credible article. We, as educators, can certainly help them hone in on these skills.

Burns (2018) states the following: “Teachers can transform traditional tasks to cultivate digital citizenship” (p. 67). If we simply went on to take risks in the classroom, then we could allow our students to further grow and enhance their digital skill set. Maloy, et al (2017) further states, “Digital exchanges connect student learning inside and outside school” (p. 190). Digital exchanges are so important for present day students, since they, primarily, live their lives digitally. Therefore, as educators, I think it’s time that we collectively stop condemning social media, and learn the potential value that it has in the classroom. It’s time to meet our students on their own turf, because if we can effectively engage them digitally, then we can engage them inside the classroom.