Social Media..for the classroom?!?

This is an excellent video of students sharing how they were able to use social media to enhance learning in a classroom.  Take a look...what do you think?

What do I think?
It was really interesting to hear students not only effectively using technology, but using sites that have typically been perceived as sites for social connections and entertainment. It was amazing to hear students using the technology to create authentic, productive and creative projects where true learning and discovery can occur. There was enthusiasm displayed by students who experienced a change in perspective and beliefs. One student discovered the purpose for the technology, that she believed was useless, after posting a Science video she created and benefiting from the feedback and comments of viewers. This student created more videos and demonstrated an increased interest in the area of Science. All the student projects were centered around academic content areas resulting in an increase of interest, motivation and excitement for the subject matter. I personally have never though Twitter had any other purpose than following your favorite celebrities and I have never used it. I now have some investigation to do, as the student who used Twitter to gather information has persuaded me to embrace some new ways of doing things! I have never heard of Diigo but was able to get a sense of what you the student was able to do with it; again, I need to engage in some discovery for myself!

What about Social Studies....

These technologies can be used to teach Social Studies by

• Connecting with individuals in geographic regions the students are learning about in order to gain a deeper comprehension of different areas of our nation and the world.
• Learning first hand about other communities and how they compare to the school's community on variables such as environment, jobs, living conditions, and economics.
• Connecting with professionals to gain information and develop an enhanced understanding of material being learned in the classroom.
• Providing resources for students to work together on group projects or assignments.
• Creating a forum for the sharing of information and a "showcase" for student work.
• .......... (options endless!!!)

The availability of resources and information is almost overwhelming, but how exciting it is to have the opportunity to increase student's motivation for learning in ways that have never been seen before!

"Never be afraid to try something new.  Remember amateurs built the ark, but professionals built the Titanic."

                                                                     -unknown