There are so many social networking sites, tools, and branches that are very accessible and usable in the classroom. Does that mean that we should use them? One of my professors reiterates this statement to us all the time: “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” Just because the yellow polka-dot bikini comes in a size 34, doesn’t mean that you should wear it.
As said in a past post of mine, I love technology. I believe that it is one of the fastest growing driving forces in adolescents today. Students are curious and reveling in the unknown of technology. For me, I want to bring that into the classroom. I want to not only support their desire to be technologically advanced, but I want to use it to keep them engaged in classroom topics.
One article that completely conveys my feelings to using new technology in the classroom uses twitter to describe a new way to get the students engaged. I think I would definitely use this in my classroom. When discussing a book, 140 characters on twitter would be so much more fun to use than writing a paragraph or typing an essay. Not only would it be fun for the students, it would make grading easier for me! With each student having a user name and setting requirements to make a comment by a certain time and @ replying to at least 2 other students’ comments, it would be so easy.
I do realize that there can be negatives to using things like this as well. There is always the dreaded students not having the available technology at their houses, like said in the above article. Or, the abuse of such technology. One classmate made the comment of having your students writing their “tweet” on a notecard or some sort of paper in class if students are not able to get onto a computer. After all it is not just the fact of USING the technology, it is teaching the students HOW to use the technology better. To also show them that it doesn’t have to only be for personal reasons, and that learning through the technology of today can be fun.
