Social Media can Connect our Classrooms

One of the last places I have thought to use social media is in the classroom. These are the tools that students in this age grow up on. They know these mediums inside and out, so it only seems natural we as educators utilize this to help and connect learners. One thing that struck from our lesson was the power of audience. When a student sees their work in a public space, and sees it being discussed among their peers, and when we can connect them to academic peers states or continents away, it raises the stakes and encourages learners to produce thought out work. Bringing student work out of the boundaries of the classroom brings it a new life. For my ELA classroom abstract ideas, concepts, and discussions can be brought into a public space where students can see how these conversations can be alive. Then the fact that we can bring in other teachers, or experts from around the world to give learners a perspective from where an event took place, or get questions answered straight from an expert and hear their insight is something that I would have never imagined as a student, and something I want to absolutely make a reality in my classroom. Being connected is what these learners are used to, so why not translate that to the classroom?

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