3240 Journal One
(Chp.1to3):
Using Facebook As A
Collaborative Learning Tool:
More and more I hear my fellow educators
complain about smart phones and tablet usage while they are delivering a
lesson, I understand this frustration but I believe we must embrace these powerful
tools. Today’s multi-tasking student is using a social media platform countless
times a day, while there are many Facebook seems to be a universal. Galagan,
2010,p.27 maintains, “Today’s classrooms have become centers of multitasking.
People are texting, tweeting, managing their calendars, and processing email
while trying to follow the instructor and take notes. For most people born
after 1977, doing many things at once is a natural state off affairs”. I feel
as instructors we have an obligation to our leaners to stay relevant by using
tools that both encourage learning and embrace methods preferred by todays
learner. In a fast paced world social
media provides an accessible tool for connectivity, collaboration, social and
cultural awareness, and all other processes we attribute to learning.
Objective:
Using social media in both the classroom
and remotely provides a wonderful opportunity for student engagement and
opportunity to develop a community. As an instructor of hair design I find my
learners to be visual and creative, they are very stimulated by images and
videos of hair colors and styles they would love to create. Constantly they
show me images they have found on Facebook pages and want to know how to create
these looks. As a result it occurred to me that Facebook could be an excellent
extension of our class and provide a learning center where students can share
and discuss ideas. To me this represents learning distantly and building on
what they have learned in class. The idea of this online beehive buzzing with
activity, even when I’m not there is an exciting one. Students will have an opportunity utilize
self-directed learning, as well as teaching each other and challenging each
other. According to Johnson, 2014, p.82, “the Wed. 2.o revolution has resulted
in a golden age of self-publishing. The tools for sharing ideas and creative
efforts through text, photos, movies, and sound have never been easier to use
or more powerful. Most creators want to share their work and get reactions to
it, so it’s not surprising that giving students opportunities to create for a
broad audience can increase their level of engagement and their investment in
creating high-quality products”. As I look forward to starting my new class of Hair
Design, I visualize a Facebook page and community to actively have my students participate
on.
Reflective:
As I reflect on the idea of using
Facebook with my students I’ve found myself making a mental pro and con list in
my head. While there is so much positive about using Facebook as a teaching
tool, there are also a lot of negatives to take into consideration. Bowen, 2012,p.34, maintains, “ Facebook is
ubiquitous; virtually all your students have profiles and spend daily time on
this site. Its ubiquity makes it potentially useful for you and your classes,
but it also creates many challenges. Creating a class group can be an effective
supplement for your LMS”. Common challenges with using Facebook with our
students are privacy issues, boundaries, and the potential for cyber-bullying.
Many of us use Facebook primarily for personal use, however work, hobbies,
associations, and school are rapidly becoming a common place on social media.
As we move towards this we need to be conscious of privacy settings, keeping
personal and professional/educational worlds separate. I feel if these two
worlds are not kept separate an instructor may lose their objectivity and
relevance from their students. Students may feel uncomfortable or put off if
the lines between personal/professional are blurred. In addition, we must consider cyber-bullying
and the time required to monitoring the Facebook page. Anytime we as
instructors encourage our students to interact on social media we must play a
guiding role, one that includes constantly checking to make sure the safe
learning environment is present. Even with all of these concerns I feel the
collaboration and sharing that occurs on the Facebook page is valuable. Many instructors
avoid using social media as they let their fears of these challenges get the
best of them.
Interpretive:
More then ever I’m finding my students are
busy with the various roles they juggle in life, this is simply the way it is
nowadays and there is no going back. I feel creating a Facebook community for my
class will be a huge asset in countless ways. Often people miss a class or were
having an off day while attending class, failing to absorb the material
presented this is were the Facebook community will assist in helping the
student to stay on track. Commonly there is not enough classroom time or space
to cover all course materials, at least not as in-depth as instructors or
students may wish, yet another reason utilizing social media is an asset. Henriksen,
Wu, & Dickson, 2013,p.24 maintain, “ The asynchronous nature of the
Facebook system provides both a tool and environment where communication and
collaboration can be enacted online independent of physical and spatial
constraints”. Knowing that space and time are so scarce in today’s world it
makes it easy to conclude why tools like Facebook are important allies in education.
If students have the Facebook page for a resource they can rapidly bring
themselves up to speed, orient themselves and each other on what they missed
and get back on task. On a simple level I will post homework assignments and pertinent
topics that were covered each day, without providing so much detail that my
learners no longer feel a need to attend real time class. On a more advanced
level I will present them with design challenges, activities where I ask them
to share work they have created with each other, as well as sharing links to
valuable videos and materials that inspired them. A lot of students to not feel comfortable
sharing in class, social media takes away they anxiety of sharing, it makes
collaborating with others feel safe and fun. Decisional:
As I reflect on my readings, research,
and thoughts I realize the importance of sharing and collaborating outside the
physical classroom. The students in the Hair Design program are so visual and
creative; their hunger for new looks and ideas is endless. I feel if I address
the fears and risks of using Facebook incorrectly I will create a supplemental
learning environment will enhance my students learning experience in a safe and
secure manner. I plan to develop a Facebook page for my students to join. They will not follow my personal Facebook
profile, nor will I follow theirs. They can post or contact myself privately
through our classroom page with questions and concerns. As a group we will
determine the rules of our online environment, as an instructor I will monitor
the page to ensure all content is free from negativity. I’m looking forward to
implementing Facebook into my upcoming class this year; my goal is to see my
students play a more active role in their learning. I believe having a supplemental
learning environment on Facebook will address the issues presented in the fast
paced world that so often challenges time and space.
References
Bowen, J.A (2012).
Teaching naked: how moving technology out of your college classroom will improve student learning. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Galagan, P. (2010).
Burp, chatter, tweet: New sounds in the classroom. T+D, 64(7), 26-29.
Johnson, D.
(2014). Why facebook belongs in your school. Educational Leadership, 71(5),
82-83.
Shaltry, C.,
Henriksen, D., Wu, M., & Dickson, W. (2013). Situated learning with online
portfolios, classroom websites and facebook. Techtrends: Linking Research &
Practice To Improve Learning, 57(3), 20-25. doi:10.1007/s11528-013-0658-9
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