Classroom work Online

With the help of social media, we could transform entire classroom work online. It may not happen through a social media site like Twitter directly, but I think we could take all assignments and put them online. Teachers could set up a website on the computer and kids could have the choice of using the website or sticking to paper work if internet is not available to them. Students would be able to learn in the classroom, and have things such as their phones, Ipads, laptops, etc. to do the assignments or to even take notes. That way, since kids are always on their phone, they have no excuse for not completing the work. On this website, teachers could also put their lecture notes, and possible examples if it was a math class, for the student's use if they need it. 

Then, on Twitter or Facebook, a link and notifications could be set up so that each time there is a new assignment or notes, students could receive a reminder on any social media site, that they are always on anyway, about it and be able to finish assignments. This would greatly increase grades and productivity in the classroom. Teenagers would have no excuses for not finishing their work.

Social media, whether we like it or not, is a part of society today. Constantly teenagers are on their phones, computers, Ipads, etc. connecting with each other. We, as a society, should use this to our benefit to keep kids in school to learn and get good grades, instead of trying to keep them off these sites. Social media can be used for good.

Peer Tutoring

When teachers have 6-8 classes with 25-40 kids in each class, it's easy for some kids not to get the help they need, or, they realize many other kids need help as well, so they don't even try to wait for the teacher's time. So how are kids able to get help at all? I find it best to ask and talk to the students who understand the material enough to teach other kids, better known as peer tutoring. Peer tutoring is beneficial because students are on a better understanding and can relate to each other much easier. I know that sometimes I feel more comfortable asking other students for help rather than the teacher.
Studies have even shown increased test scores and grades with peer tutoring. Follow the link below to read more about the benefits of peer tutoring:


http://childandfamilypolicy.duke.edu/pdfs/schoolresearch/2012_PolicyBriefs/Nguyen_Policy_Brief.pdf



If we were to take peer tutoring and apply it to teenagers now, an easy way for students to get help would be online. Either through a social media page like Twitter or Facebook, or even a webpage set up specifically for peer tutoring, students could easily get the help they need when they need it since the internet is easily accessible on smart phones. Teenagers, even including myself, get on their phones when they get bored during class or free time. If an account were to be set up on a website kids already get on multiple times a day, it increases the chances they will use the resource and ask for or even help other students. That way, increased good grades and overall understanding of material can be achieved.

Communication is Key

Teens these days have an easier time communicating online than they do in person. Contact between two teenagers in person is much less common now that they have access to social media on their phones. Social media serves as a way to talk to others without having to really talk to them. Online kids are not as afraid to say something because they don’t have to see the emotion it brings to the other person. Then, if someone says something they don’t want to hear, they don’t have to reply. That’s where most cyber bullying takes place. However, instead of telling kids to avoid talking to others online because of cyber bullying, why not promote a better way of communication.

If social media was used in classrooms, accounts could be set up so the teacher as well as each of the students could have discussions. They could even have false names to where only the teacher knows who is really who so no one feels embarrassed to ask questions or state their opinion on the matter, like I know sometimes I do. Teens are always responding to their phones so if they had notifications set up to the account, each student would be notified when there was to be another discussion or someone asked a question. Then, not only could the teacher respond to the question, but other students could as well. Research has shown that when you teach others, you have the tendency to remember and learn the subject much better and easier yourself. You also develop a better understanding.

Instead of rejecting social media because of the negative, we should embrace how our society is today, and promote learning through communication in the world teenagers know best, that is, the online world. 

http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Resources/articles.php?page=learning

http://www.google.com/urlsa=i&rct=j&q=social+media+in+schools&source=images

Twitter: Helpful or Distracting?

If you asked anyone over the age of thirty what Twitter is, some may say they have no idea what it is or that they only know of it because their children have one. Teenagers, such as myself, use social media sites each day to communicate with each other. I believe that since this is a part of our culture, whether people like it or not, we may as well use it to our advantage.

Looking around classrooms each day, I find myself being able to see multiple people at a time on twitter. We are in the middle of class, and yet people can't seem to be able to put down their phones to pay attention. So if we used Twitter as a part of everyday classroom work, would it help kids to participate? I think so.




By using Twitter, an account can be created for the teacher. Teachers can then post due dates and upcoming tests with important items that should be studied, which can then be sent directly to each student's twitter. If students are already on their phones constantly as is, they would see these deadlines. It would motivate students to do well and increase work turned in. 

Many people would then argue that if students are allowed to use their phones in class, they won't use it appropriately. However, if teachers and school administrators were to get twitters, they could influence the students to use the social media as an aid, rather than a distraction. Social media can get messages to the students who would then actually read it because it's on Twitter, not in a boring lecture by the teacher.








http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4257458/?utm_hp_ref=social-media-in-schools
http://debate.org/cellphones