This week we looked at the benefits and risks of social media. Below you will find my responses to the questions that were posted:
1. I joined several groups: build your own curriculum, e-Mentoring for Student Success, Close Math Gaps Now, Visual Thinking Evolution. I chose these groups primarily due to my primary interests in mathematics, curriculum, student achievement, & software. I signed up for diigo about two weeks ago and each morning I receive links related to these interests and it's been very helpful and exciting.
2. Young people are more likely to play games, communicate to their friends, and "bully" other students. Older adults are more likely to use it for keeping in touch with family and friends.
3. Pros - teachers are able to increase students' engagement in their education,
increase technological proficiency, contribute to a greater sense of
collaboration in the classroom, and build better communication skills. Cons - increased cyberbullying, online predators, and less face-to-face with family and peers.
4. Most of the time I am on Facebook because it allows me the chance to stay in touch with my relatives who live out of state. I also monitor some of the things that are posted by students that might impact the school climate and culture.
5. Benefits - increased connection to others, increased self-esteem, promotes participation, meet technology expectations of students, more awareness of social issues, and networking with others and professionals.
Cons - increased depression, especially among teens, potential to trigger eating disorders in adolescent females and causes deterioration and conflict in marriages, and poor vocabulary, spelling, and increase in acronyms
Thus far, this has been a very enlightening and worthwhile experience. The assignment this week as given me a greater understand of the importance of the use of social media in teaching and learning. Finally, I really enjoy being able to share my new knowledge with the teachers in my building.
Sandra, I also joined groups that are concentrated about education. I also get the daily articles from Diigo in Education. I really enjoy reading through the brief descriptions of the article and I do find some of interest to me. I feel like I am keeping in touch with the latest material in education through this group.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the use of social media concerning adults and young people. Although, I know a lot of adults that are hooked on internet/soical media games.
Yes, the use of technology/soical media does increase student engagement and I believe fosters the type of communication that everyone has grown accustome. I am not sure this is the best type of communication, because people are not developing interpersonal skills.
I do see the benefits from facebook for friends and family when they live far apart. I also was glad to reconnect with friends from 40 years ago. However, I do get concerned about the privacy people are giving up when they spend too much time on facebook and post too much information.
WOW, I find your cons of using soical media very interesting. I guess I never really considered the effects on young people (maybe because I do not use soical media very often).