In today’s day and age, technology is so very prevalent and while this can be seen as a downside to some, it can also be something that completely transforms the classroom in meaningful ways. However, as educators, it is of utmost importance to create boundaries between our social media profiles/personal lives and our role as teachers.
I stumbled across this amazing graphic by the Iowa Board Of Educational Examiners and I think these do’s and dont’s of social media usage are so very important.
There is an appropriate, and an inappropriate way to bridge connections between social media and the classroom. Here is an example of something that works well: having students create a ‘Fakebook’ profile. This is an amazing way to bridge between their social engagement and a research activity.
Something that won’t work, however, would be to share something from your personal Facebook page, or even have a student share something from his/her personal page. Though you may have innocent motives, there is a sense of privacy that must be upheld from a professional standpoint.
Another important thing to note is that even positive sharing can be negative; for example, sharing about students on your personal page. Even if you are sharing an accomplishment or something regarding student achievement, there are both privacy and school/district violation concerns at play here.
Instead of sharing from a personal site, see if you can create a forum specific to your school, or send a private email to that student’s parents.
Overall, social media can be a powerful classroom tool, but it has to be used correctly. Take heed of these awesome IBOEE recommendations, and feel free to comment your own.
What strategies do you use in your classroom?
How are you integrating social media/technology in a safe and healthy way?
What concerns you the most about trying to integrate these resources into your teaching?