Week Three: Social Media and Digital Storytelling

    


     First, let's address the elephant in the room. That's right, you guessed it! Social media in the classroom. Perhaps you may be thinking why would I want to use Facebook or Twitter in the classroom? You may even be wondering how either of the two can serve as educational support. If this is so, then it may help to know how teachers are making use of social media platforms and to see how they're leering students in with the help of sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Kathy Cassidy, a primary school teacher in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan uses Twitter as a way of "inviting the world into the classroom" (Cassidy, 2013) and Phillips Academy High School's librarian, K.C. Boyd, maximizes her opportunities to connect with students on Twitter as well. Kim Garst, social media and brand strategist also provides some excellent reasons for why social media should be taught in our school systems and I, for one am in agreement with Garst that "social media is here to stay" (Garst, 2013).

     I can also see how Facebook can be used in the classroom. Facebook offers a medium for students to connect and create groups that will allow them to interact with their fellow classmates and discuss upcoming assignments or projects. They can easily link videos, images, and quotes if necessary and share them specifically with members in their groups. Teachers on the other hand can "follow" all of the groups and closely monitor what's being shared amongst students as well as see how students are collaborating with each other.


     But, what's even more exciting (at least to me anyway) than Facebook and Twitter is a new age concept of storytelling-- digital storytelling. Now that sounds fascinating. If you're anything like me then you'll love the idea of "[guiding] a new generation into becoming 21st Century Storykeepers" (Porter). 

     I had actually never heard of digital storytelling before until now. Bernajean Porter explains: 

         

 Designing and communicating information requires students 

          to deepen their understanding of content while increasing 

visual, sound, oral language, creativity, and thinking skills. 

Making meaning out of an experience deepens the 

communication for both the author and the viewers. The 

author’s narrative voice is the center of all the multimedia 

decisions. The story’s narrative is first made into a voiceover 

and then all images, sound, music, transitions, and special 

effects are organized around unfolding this story.

  I especially love the idea of digital storytelling as I will be teaching Language Arts to students. What's extremely neat about this new concept of storytelling is that it's not just limited to the Language Arts classroom. Digital storytelling can be used across the curriculum and students can create history, science, and even math stories (yes, even math stories). 

     Imagine what the classroom would be like for students if we made use of these tools for learning. Students would light up and be eager to enter the classroom-- they'd actually be excited about learning for a change. I work in a school and sadly what I see is some of the same old learning that took place when I was in school. Endless paper projects and assignments given to students and lessons that don't allow much room for creative learning. There's no wonder why many students do not enjoy school or find learning fun or interesting. If we want to change the way that students view learning, education, and school in general then we have to do so in a way that appeals to them and we can do that by making use of some of the technology that is out there.  We as educators have to roll up our sleeves. We have to search, dig, and find new ways to educate our students. I hope you'll be making use of some of the tools I mentioned today. I know I will.