Social Media in the Classroom & Cyber Bullying

                This week we had a presentation on using social media as educators and the benefits it can have on our students. Kristen Thompson spoke about 3 big reasons we should be teaching social media in the classroom. The reason that stuck out most to me was prevalence. So many Canadians have social media and use these for work purposes as well as personal reasons. I believe it is important that students are taught the pros and cons of social media as well as how to properly use it.

                Many of our students will already have social media accounts and some may know more about how to use it than we do. This seems to be a trend in todays society, the younger generations are becoming more advanced with social media and the internet which is why we need to educate them on it sooner rather than later.

                It is important to educate them on topics such as digital citizenship, their online appearance but the biggest one that I believe is cyber bullying. I found a video online that could be used to educate students on social media and the dangers of cyberbullying. It would work really well for younger students for it explains to students why we shouldn’t cyberbully and how it might make other people feel. It talks about thinking before we post and putting yourself in the other persons shoes before saying something online. but it also breaks it down and explains to them what to do if they are being cyberbullied. This video could really impact students and help with the never-ending problem of bullying that is prevalent in most schools.                            

Another important reason to educate students on the use of internet and social media is that it is used in most job places now. Whether you are sending emails to your boss or coworkers or doing marketing online for a company you work for the internet plays a huge role in the work place. This is why we need to give students the tools they need to succeed in the world after school and allow them to explore these tools in the safety of a classroom. By allowing students to experiment with social media in the classroom it will help them develop skills as well as how to have an appropriate online presence.