Week 3- Social Media in the Classroom

Is social media necessary to use in an elementary classroom? Many of us would say no, because we all grew up in a world without it, but it may be necessary in the years to come.

Children are growing up in a technology obsessed world. Everyone has a phone, a computer, a laptop, a tablet,  and can access hundreds of social media websites. As elementary school educators, we must ask, is it necessary to open children up to social media before they even turn ten? Some may say yes, while others disagree. The truth is, there's arguments for both sides of the story.

Social media, and the internet as a whole, has made our world a lot smaller. Not smaller, in a way that makes people feel trapped, but smaller in a way that makes us feel more connected with people all over the world. Every time I go onto YouTube, I am reminded that it is an extremely global platform,and almost every country in the world has access to it. It excites me, and I feel like I can learn anything and interact with anyone, anywhere in the world. Students can feel this way too, by integrating social media in the classroom. They can interact with sister classes all over the world, and discover different cultures and ways of life. This generation is truly the first generation to say that they have always been connected and felt connected to the world through technology.

Now, there are a lot of good things about social media in the classroom, but there can also be a few things that are a little iffy, or even bad. First thing's first, these popular websites were all created for people at least thirteen years of age or older. The content is approved for that age range, and some of it could be inappropriate for a student any younger than that. These children could be exposed to things online that they weren't meant to see. This doesn't necessarily mean entirely bad things, but you never know with the internet, anything could link you to someplace else.

We are seventeen years into the 21st Century, and already, so much has been accomplished. Our daily lives are changed forever thanks to the personal computers we carry around with us. With this "great power comes great responsibility", and it's up to you whether you incorporate social media into your classroom.