Social Media literacy, online communication, and online safety.
Social media has undoubtedly expanded classroom walls, but has it also closed the minds of our students? The echo chamber effect suggests so-students want to hear what they think is the truth and search for others through social media who agree with them.
Classrooms aren’t always represented accurately in the media. It is not uncommon for news outlets to highlight the latest teacher scandals but ignore the quality work the majority of teachers are doing. Popular television shows often show students seated neatly in rows, reading textbooks, and looking bored. Images of blackboards and chalk still abound when referencing education, yet the classrooms I see everyday are filled with the very opposite of these depictions.
A recent study by Gallup found that only one in five parents are fully engaged with their child’s school. In my 19 years of teaching, I’ve tried every form of communication to bridge the gap between home and the classroom—emails, texting, blogging, a YouTube channel, Facebook.
As technology advances and our real lives (RL) increasingly blend with our online lives, the need for digital citizenship in education has never been more important.
It’s that time of year again where we reflect on
our accomplishments and our growth. We can see exactly how far we’ve come since
this time last year. Big Deal Media editors researched diligently to bring you
the latest and greatest ed tech resources.