Suggestions for Using Social Networking in the Classroom

As a future Language Arts teacher, I would utilize social networking sights to collaborate and discuss topics. For instance, I would use Twitter for students to submit figures of speech and then have people reply back with its meaning or literary device used. For example, I would tweet, "Don't take wooden nickels." Students would respond to the meaning of that particular figure of speech. Another subject that I could utilize social networking for would be in service learning and advocating causes that are actually submitted to a social networking site in hopes of a public following. I don't know which particular social networking site I would use other than Facebook. However, Facebook is currently blocked by the local school district on school computers so this particular site may not work unless I asked for special permission from the district to unblock the site. On the other hand, student's cell phone access to Facebook is not blocked by the district and could be a way to use the site to advocate a cause. If students didn't have a smartphone or accessible use to Facebook, I would implement groups or pairs to work collaboratively on the project. Another social networking site would be blogging on various platforms and should not necessarily be blocked or filtered. Blogging about social causes or advocating for them would give students critical thinking, analyzing, creative writing by persuasion or arguing a point of view. Lastly, I would utilize Pintrest as a community board of ideas and references that teachers, students and parents could contribute to. Students would not necessarily have to log-on to school computers to do this if it were a blocked site. Addtionally, students smart phones could be utilized or computers at home or grouping students that don't have access with those that do.