Use of Social Media

[Myhistory123]

How do you fellow teachers feel about the use of social media in your classroom? I have been reading a book and it talks about how using social media can be used in the classroom to help connect to the students. I wanted to get other teacher's opinions.

 

[TheGr8Catsby]

My stance: it is unethical to use any mainstream social media platform in a PK-8th classroom because 9th grade is the first year that ALL students can LEGALLY create accounts by the first day of school. It is illegal for children under 13 to create an account on mainstream platforms, so we "assume" they don't have them. Social networks for schools, like Edmodo, are fine in any capacity.

In the secondary classrooms everything should be done through a shared space- like a group or page on Facebook. Students and teachers shouldn't be friends with each other, but they can communicate for class purposes on the platform.

 

[GoodEnough85]

I agree with the pp

Also, be sure to check your district's policies as well. Effective or not, it has to be allowed or grief will follow. Then you need to get all of the participants to follow those rules as well.

I can see it being a good tool at some level. Technology appeals to many teens.

In my high school, very few students still use FaceBook itself. Many have switched to Instagram, TikTok and others I am not savvy enough to even know. Some of those accounts do link back to the original FB but many do not.

I am not opposed. For those students, 13 and under--I am asking. Will NearPod, Google Classroom, and similar sites fill that gap? Or can you make a classroom website with a Discussion area or Blog Q and A for the Book Talks? I am just thinking out loud...

 

[GeeGra]

Social media

I would send out newsletters to the parents of my students with my teacher social media account listed and have that as a resource to keep parents up to date on class room activities, trips, and homework.