Devyn's Educational Thoughts

Many people use and enjoy technology and social media for all of the good things it can do. Social media allows people to share their lives, stay connected, open up outlets for people to find their passions and likeminded people, and be able to have a conversation no matter where they are in the world. 

Technology and social media have been used to share awareness, promote activism, and make real changes in the world. 

“Through social networking sites, Arab Spring activists have not only gained the power to overthrow powerful dictatorship, but also helped Arab civilians become aware of the underground communities that exist and are made up of their brothers, and others willing to listen to their stories.” (Kassim 2012)
https://www.mic.com/articles/10642/twitter-revolution-how-the-arab-spring-was-helped-by-social-media

“Perez said social media streamlined the organization of the women’s march, making it easier for people to join the movement. About 45,000 protesters with disabilities participated in the Washington march because they used social media ahead of time to make sure the demonstration was accessible.” (Carson 2017)
https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-twitter-instagram-womens-march/

So we can all agree that social media used in these ways can be one of the most empowering and influential outlets available to people today right?

BUT… are there ways we can use social media and technology to our detriment?

The answer is yes. We can be so emboldened and ‘in the moment’ when we post sometimes that the long term effects pressing the ‘send’ button ONE time can have on our futures is lost on us. 

Especially as educators, our social media presence and the message we send on personal pages can be viewed by so many people who look to us as leaders. An educator or teacher has a responsibility to their students to be a role model and positive force in their student’s lives. If a teacher’s social media promotes the opposite, it weakens that role. 

Three safe ways to navigate using social media safely is by avoiding:

Disrespecting your company/employer or violating their codes of conduct.
a. The first and most obvious way to get in trouble over social media is to be disrespectful or slanderous to an employer or company. Posting online is not a guarantee of autonomy. 
b. While it is a personal page, many employers now require their employees to meet a code of conduct that not only describes how they are to connect themselves inside the office, but online as well.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/posting-information-online-can-get-you-fired-2062154

Hurtful and insensitive comments.
a. Using social media etc to post anything hurtful or insensitive should be avoided at all costs, whether for an employer or not. 
b. There are things to keep in mind once you are an official representative of something (an employee/student), your voice is representing them as well. Posting hateful comments or insensitive political opinions that could directly clash with/look bad on the company could result in termination. No company wants bad PR because of an improper tweet or post, and will not keep employees around who cause these type of problems for their business. 
https://smartsocial.com/fired-for-social-media/

Using technology and social media too much and too often.
a. We are all guilty of spending too much time on social media and technologies every day. Another thing to keep in mind is how much you use these sites on ‘work time’. Employees have been fired from companies for using Facebook, Twitter, or even online shopping on company time.
b. Taking a break from work and decompressing with a scroll through twitter is one thing, Wasting hours you are getting paid to perform a task and spending it on social media is another. 
https://www.cnbc.com/2016/02/05/how-using-social-media-can-get-you-fired.html

Welcome to my first Blog Post!! 

For our assignment this week I decided to look at a post on Eric Sheninger’s blog. Sheninger is a verified twitter account and has written many books on educational technology. He is a certified Google Innovator, the winner of multiple awards including the Ed Tech Leadership award, and his blog is ranked #33 out of 100 according to Teach.com

This week as I was searching for an article, I came across an interesting post about Personalized Learning, and how it can be extremely beneficial for students. In today’s technological climate, where technology is always upgrading, is it worthwhile for educators to continue to use the same old paths to teach their students and prepare them for the future? Sheninger gives us several ways to incorporate a more personalized learning outline into the classroom.

Read the Full Post Here:

http://esheninger.blogspot.com/2020/01/personalized-learning-why-how-and-what.html

The process begins with a shift in focus, out of the ‘what’ (content, tests, programs, curriculum) and moves more into the ‘who’ to create a learning experience for students that both builds their strengths and weaknesses. He breaks down some ways we can create a more personalized learning by giving several categories from which to go from as a starting point.  I have quickly summarized and given examples of each.

1. Learning Environment: creating a less rigid and uniform environment and incorporating multiple outlets for children to learn. 
   1. Virtual courses, innovative schedules, small learning groups. 
2. Curriculum: Content knowledge is still uniform and essential for students across the board. While what exactly the teacher is supposed to be teaching is regulated, looking at the way in which it is taught is a way to help personalize the learning of students. 
   1. Delivery of content, explanation, keeping topics relevant 
3. Pedagogy: This requires teachers to be able to design and implement class activities that not only teach the required materials, but also that can meet the needs of all students in the classroom. 
   1. Cooperative learning, guided and independent practice, scaffolded questions. 
4. Assessment Data: Correctly analyzing collected data and using it effectively to create a learning program to create a more personalized program. 
   1. Targeted instruction, Tiered tasks
5. Voice: Honor the voice and opinion of the students. Allowing them to have a say in the education process. The more students are involved in a partnership with their teachers, the more positive the association becomes for them to learn. Allowing students their voice could create meaningful changes in how teachers practice. 
6. Choice: One of the easiest to incorporate into the classroom. This could be as simple as letting children choose where to sit, or as complicated as allowing them to choose and online class vs a face to face one. As long as students can show confident concept mastery, does it matter if they chose assignment A over assignment B or C?
7. Path, Pace, Place: If all students are working on the same thing at the same time, individual needs cannot be met. 
   1. Path: customized curriculum, selecting order, independent study
   2. Place: simply, the location of the learning. (virtual, outdoors, classrooms)
   3. Pace: — allowing students to master their assignments in a way that works best for them. 

Overall I really enjoyed reading this and have a new way to think about approaching lessons as I become an educator. Sheninger is right, we cannot expect students to all fit into one box for learning. A simple example using technology would be to pose a question to students and allow them to answer on their devices in a way of their choosing. Some students may just type the answer, while some may draw a picture, post a GIF, or use an audio clip. Responding in a way they choose and enjoy is going to help them absorb and enjoy the information you as the teacher are trying to impart. Using technology in this way can also help to involve introverted students and allow them to be comfortable while they learn. 

 Providing personal education I think is going to be one of the ways the excellent teachers are separated from the ordinary ones.