Social Media/Technology in the classroom

     I think there is certainly a time and place for social media, but that can be a very fine line and can be somewhat controversial.  In my opinion there are two arguments for using social media in the school system.  First, are the students, I think we can all confidently say that the majority of students that reach every grade level are already experiencing some kind of social technology out of the classroom.  These applications are not exactly being introduced to students in the class.  In saying that, the classroom would be a great place for them to learn how to use these forums in a safe manner.  I think it is more important for school faculty to teach this aspect of social media, I think it is naive for us to think that parents have a good grasp on how dangerous these sites can be.  Library Media Specialists should be well equipped in teaching the students a safe and productive way of using these sites.  Introducing new educational sites can also help; a lot of these sites have smaller followings and can be very useful for both students and teachers.  Of course any site that has a open forum can be dangerous children must be educated on the consequences of displaying personal information.  This is a quote taken from the American Library Association “Librarians are trying to help young people understand the world around them,” Boyd continued. “If they recognize the ways in which new social media [extend] old practices, they can help provide guidance in a meaningful way." Social Media is a wonderful tool for teachers and students alike, I believe it has taken education to a whole new level and its educational reach has no ceiling, but with all the good it produces, in the wrong hands it can also be very destructive.  This is the fine line I alluded to in my first sentences of this blog.  It is up to the parents and teachers to monitor these sites and keep them educational and purely social.  

     The second argument for using Social Media in the classroom is for school staff.  Whether you like it or not your child’s classroom has made a drastic change in the last 10-15 years and is now changing almost daily.  The introduction of technology in the classroom on the scale that it is now is tremendous.  The concept of machines and technology taking the positions of human workers does not necessarily hold true for people in education.  In fact it is almost the exact opposite; schools are majorly understaffed due to all of this new technology.  The primary reason for this is that these social media applications need to be updated and monitored on a daily basis.  A quote taken from an article from the American Library Association states this “One respondent observed, however, that social media and Web 2.0 tools “are only as effective as the user” and noted that since a library often cannot support a full-time position in this area, the work is often distributed among several staff, which reduces its overall impact”.  The overall impact of social media in the classroom is apparent and to try and ignore the positive affect it has on our students is just ignorant.  Library Media Specialists have been assigned the task of updating, monitoring and staying in the mix of all new types of social media,  along with the responsibility of teaching your children and running a library, if these applications can be used effectively they can greatly ease the workload of any dedicated Media Specialist.

Associtaion, A. L. (2011). The State of America's Libraries. American Library Association.