The Advantages Of Using Social Media In Schools

Nowadays it seems like more people are a part of social media than aren’t. You hear about it all the time and it can seem like you are out of touch if you don’t participate. Social media like Twitter and Facebook are especially appealing to young people.

Today’s youth love social media because of it’s rapid pace and ever changing quality. It also appeals to a person’s vanity. Anyone can have a Facebook page and post the intimate details of their lives for anyone to see. Or, they can send a Tweet about their most mundane experiences throughout the day. They actually think that people care about such minutiae. Despite all this, it’s worthwhile to keep up with social media so that you know what your kids are doing.

Not all communities see the use of social media as a positive. In fact, nearly 60 percent of schools in the UK have prohibited the use of social media even though much of its participation is done off campus. Social media enthusiasts condemn this action and believe that the wave of interest can’t be stopped that easily. They contend that the potential of social media needs to be harnessed not dismissed.

Maybe a better idea is to allow the use of social media in a supervised way. It seems that social media, in whatever form, is here to stay. People love the immediacy of it and it appeals to their vanity. They like thinking that everyone cares about their every thought or action, so they post in on Twitter or their Facebook account. So, why fight the tide? Some schools are embracing this attitude.

They’re doing it in Portland, Oregon. At a school there, a teacher piloted a successful social-media program in the classroom. During the study, there was a dramatic increase in students performing assignments that received no official credits. Absences declined and there was a noticeable increase in student motivation.

That school has gone on to develop blogs and networks where children can interact with one another and complete assignments. It also makes it easier for teachers and parents to monitor a student’s progress.

Additionally, school administrators learned that the students were far more aware of the potential dangers that exist online and how to cope with them.

The internet is a tool with enormous potential to help students learn in ways like never before. If we simply think of social media in that way we can harness it for good.

In addition to internet, the writer also frequently blogs on cat doors and closet shelves.

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