Social Media

Social media is a good medium to connect with others with similar interests from any location without being limited by geography and time. In the past it may have been difficult to find people with the same interests, arts, sports, or support groups but social media helps people connect by shared interests and experiences.  It is also a way for friends and family members to keep in contact, share pictures and events in their lives. Although is can be perceived as negative social media is also a way for kids to connect with one another, sometimes away from their parents and other adults. I asked a friend’s son last year what social media he used and he said Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram, when asked if he used Facebook and he said “only old people use Facebook.”

In some of George Siemen’s writing he points out that social networking is a way to expand the classroom so that it isn’t a physical space it is also a network of individuals where you can learn from scientists, experts, and follow students. It opens the doors to different people and new ideas where in the past students were only exposed to one lecturer.  It appears that schools are still working out how students will use social media and technology, The MMS 2012 Survey of K-!2 Educators on Social Networking, Online  Communities, and Web 2.0 Tools  (p.11) explains that forty-seven percent of the schools have restrictions on access to web 2.0 tools for students. It is also reported that fifty-four percent of students bring their own devices but the schools have restrictions.

While social networking and social media can be a great tool for learning using educational tools vetted by a teacher the anonymous nature of social media makes it possible to say things you normally wouldn’t to someone face-to-face. Minors who have a lack of life experience can be vulnerable to predators. Nonetheless, social media, networking are fully integrated into most of our lives, especially teens and adolescents. To me this as social problem instead of a technological problems schools, social organizations like the scouts, and parents will need, and do, to work together teach responsible use of the technology. Part of the responsibility use of technology is also learning how to take a break from devices and also where and when to use them. 

After this week’s reading I discovered that I belong to more social networking sites than I realized.  I belong to Goodreads, Facebook, Linked-in, Twitter, Pintrest. This week I also joined the Discovery Educator Network, and Cool Tools for Educators. Because I sit and a computer for eight hours a day, I rarely get on a computer at home, I use a tablet and phone but most social networking is for fun and special interest. I also don’t like sharing personal information on the Internet, I’m not comfortable sharing the details of my life. I also find that on many social networking sites, personal or professional, the same vocal individuals take part in the discussion and many lurkers (like me) read the site but don’t take part in the discussion. I do enjoy reading about special interests and things that make me laugh. I suppose that is the point of social networking is that you can be as involved as you want.