Embracing Social Media

Betty Ray posted the article SocialEdCon: What the Heck Do We Do with Social Media? on Edutopia to discuss the benefits of using social media in the classroom and ways in which you can do so.  I found it very interesting and encouraging.  She pointed out how social media is not going anywhere and that if we, as educators, take a leadership role in modeling how to effectively and appropriately use such media, it can become an integral and beneficial asset to education.  Ray states that, "With social media, and Twitter in particular, anyone can have a voice in a global conversation." It can be very empowering and can make a difference.  The article also posted a nice list of ways to incorporate social media into the classroom including scavenger hunts created by students, promoting school events, and sharing daily class and school news.  To me, it seems like a great idea to embrace this type of technology.  You know students would love it!  And, using it in such a setting would be helpful in teaching children how to appropriately use this media.  Unfortunately, many counties (mine included) have all those social media sites blocked.  Does your county block it or embrace it?  What ways could you use social media in your classroom and what's your favorite type?  I'm really loving Instagram lately and I just realized I've been on Facebook for 8 years!


Ray, Betty. "SocialEdCon: What the Heck Do We Do with Social  
        Media". Edutopia. June 24, 2012.  http://www.edutopia.org/blog/getting-started-social-media-betty-ray?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29&utm_content=Google+Reader