Social Media in Schools
Is it good or is it bad?
Pros of Using Social Media in the Classroom
* Students can comment/edit on assignments that require the writing process. "Primarily that's the way I do my writing assignments. I share a document with them, and they can make comments on it or if they are working on an assignment and get stuck, they can leave me a note and I can go in there and make comments" (McCullum, 2012).
* Social media is high interest and can motivate reluctant learners. "School districts also must utilize social media tools to increase student engagement and better prepare graduates for the rapidly evolving workforce" (Lovecchio, 2013).
* Students can engage in collaborative learning. "Social media connects people's ideas and experiences through flexible technology" (Lovecchio, 2013).
* Students can quickly and easily share resources.
Cons of Using Social Media in the Classroom
* Student safety must be considered. "We need to partner with our parents and work with police officials so we can create a safe Facebook environment for our kids" (Hernandez, 2010).
* Social media can distract students and cause them to loose focus of the task at hand.
* Students can write inappropriate comments.