Social Media
How have you used Social Media as an enhancement to learning? What role do you think Social Media has in the formation of community?
I recently completed my EdD and did my dissertation on the use of Social Media to enhance community that would lead to adult learning - drawing from the theories that community formation enhances adult learning. I'd love to have more discussion about this.
Joyce,
Congratulations on the completion of your EdD! I personally use Twitter as an enhancement to learning and I do believe it builds community in the classroom. Students share images and links and the discussion continues throughout the week, keeping students engaged and allowing those perhaps too shy to speak up in class a vehicle in which to communicate their opinions.
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
The issue of shyness is exactly right in my opinion. Also, for me personally, I am an older student and was taught to raise my hand and wait to be acknowledged. Younger students just speak out. I found that in an online situation, I was free to talk whenever I wanted without violating antiquated ideas of politeness :)
a one of my assignment is my students must develope a professional media page so that they can promote their businesses by showcasing their work in order to solicit new clients.
I teach within the Fashion Design program. Facebook and Google are great resources for my fashion students trying to obtain the most current trends in our ever-changing world. I tell them to follow certain Fashion sites and request feedback, which keeps the students eager and engaged.
I have not really used Social Media that much in my past classes, but I intend to use it in the future. I will have a Sales class next term and I plan to create a page on Facebook and give the students the option to get on the page to try to generate more potential clients for a product that they will create for the class. I am hoping that the students will enjoy it the project, since I will be giving them the opportunity to use something that they know. I anticipate the students to encourage others to get on the page to "like" their product, which will ultimately build their community, interaction with each other and others, and learning experience.
I think social media would be a great enhancement to any curriculum. The only draw back is there are many people that do not want to be a part of social media and so it would alienate this population. I think there are other types of technology that would include all ages, all technological knowledge levels, all preferences of the learner.
I can see where these sites would be of great help to your students, We have our students use some sites to find ideas for their themed cakes and centerpieces in class. Comes in very handy for them.
Although I have not utilized social media in the classroom, I am really looking closely into trying to implement it in some way. Since most of my students are young adults (18-25), social media is something they know very well. I think the ability to communicate with one another will encourage educative discussion of topics. It will encourage interaction through something they are already very familiar with.
I am just now engaging myself with social media. I am very naïve and as a Capricorn still think on my conservative way.
I have found a few FB groups that post Ultrasound cases for comment and review from other techs in the field. These posts can be used in the classroom as real life experiences that many, if not all, of the students will face at some point in their careers. It is hard to find abnormal cases among the students in the classroom since most are young and healthy, so I only have the collection of case studies that I brought with me when I came onboard at the school. And with privacy rules it is hard to get new cases, so these group discussions found on FB and Google+ are a great resource! Now there are also the pity party posts which can be damaging if the students read them. As the instructor, I have to make sure I know where these posts are within the feed and avoid them all together.
