Why Teachers Can Use Social Media and Technology to Create an Effective Learning Experience!

Why does education have this trend toward non-adoption to technological means?      

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Technology, or tools are available - how can these tools be used by teachers and students to enable an effective learning experience?    

It is important to keep in mind how the digital natives of today are interested in learning, and how teacher's can adapt to these students.  Digital natives independently learn through social media via their mobile devices, computers, laptops, ipods or ipads etc.  Teachers can use the way in which these students learn on their own, and use it to engage these students in the course/class work... By implementing technology!

So, how can technology be used in the classroom?

Truth is most digital natives are using social media as a tool in their everyday life, so utilizing social media to help students learn new things can be a way to re-thinking certain stubborn teaching/learning methods.  Social media can be a tool to get kids interested and involved by looking into others personal blogs for information - and if teachers post relevant articles, journals, videos, or even book references for their students to read, it can be beneficial to the class community.  These blogs or wikis can hold anything, for anyone to read, spanning all types of course or subject material.

Technology can be implemented in the classroom via overhead projector with a connection to show/follow interesting tweets, feeds, blogs, other posts and more!  Right away students can engage themselves in the class, and get interactive with what the teacher has to say.  Whether its in person or through social media.

Heres an example: At the end of the class teachers can ask students to open the class blog (that is hoping you have one!) to answer interesting and related questions for debate or discussion on the subject material.  Non-convergent questions, that are open ended and debatable can get students typing!

Next class have the blog open and showing as the students walk in.  Have some answers and possible back and forth feedback or feeds that students have left on the blog.  Starting the class, there can be a class discussion to the beginning of a new unit or topic on the questions and answers from the blog!


Why, why why use these technologies?  Social media?

Communication

Gathering of Information

Creating of Information

Collaboration

Presenting new ideas

Motivation

It is where society is heading RIGHT NOW!  That does not mean things could not possibly change, and to become too dependant on social media in the classroom can become more of a stress than  beneficial to effective learning.  Networks are open to students, and social media lends very easily to mass communication.  Getting your entire class to talk for hours outside of school about relevant course material?

Not going to happen...

Social Media makes it happen.   Creating efficient, effective means for students... Digital natives to learn on their own, and with their classmates online.

Reminder: Social Media is a tool - implementation of social media does not have to happen every single class, nor should it be the incorporated into every lesson.  Broadening teacher horizons is a great idea.



As well please check out this url link!  100 ways to use social media in the classroom!

http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2010/05/100-inspiring-ways-to-use-social-media-in-the-classroom/