I have always been timid around social media, even on a personal level. I'm not on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. I finally dipped my toe into the world of social media when had to create a LinkedIn account in college and I ventured even further by getting a Pinterest account soon after.
At first, when I saw the heading for this module, I was a bit nervous. I didn't think I would ever use social media with my students. After reading and exploring further, however, I can see the benefits of using social media with, not only older students, but also younger students as well!
I actually realized that I already use some of the listed sites and apps in my teaching. Schoology is an app that our district uses for a variety of purposes. Teachers can post alerts, message with students, assign projects and assignments, etc. It is essentially like an elementary and secondary version of Canvas.
https://app.schoology.com/login?destination=home
Another app that our district uses is Clever. Clever is an app that students can access at both school and home that allows students to use district approved and sponsored apps, such as Lexia (ELA), Dreambox (math), PebbleGo (science and social studies), etc.
clever.com
I also use ClassDojo to send messages and photos to families. I have found this to be successful as families appreciate getting a peek into our daily class activities by viewing the photos. The messaging system is also similar to a text, so I can essentially text with families while maintaining my phone number confidentiality.
classdojo.com
One aspect of ClassDojo that I wouldn't mind exploring is having students share their work with their families on it. I have seen examples of this before, but I have never used ClassDojo for that purpose. I feel that the kids would be excited to "post" their work to share with their families!
Another idea that I had was creating a class instagram account. I could take photos of student work and activities. If families want, they could connect with our page to see what the students are working on.
After taking this course, I feel more comfortable integrating new literacies and technology into my teaching. I feel like many of the ideas offered are accessible and not as extensive or overwhelming as I thought. I also believe that integrating the new literacies and technology into my teaching would promote overall student engagement and participation!
Allie,
ReplyDeleteI agree that after this course I realized how much I already use in my classroom. I love clever and its so easy for students to use no matter what age they are.