Social Meida and the Classroom - A Reflection

Social media is a beast regardless of context. There are certainly problematic themes that carry across educational, professional, and personal spaces. Truthfully, I had never considered social media in the classroom a possibility for the K12 crowd due to privacy and exposure to harmful content. The past two weeks have opened my mind up to that being a plausible avenue.

As an adult learner, I have loved learning in an online space. The opportunity I had to communicate with David White a few weeks back was something that fed my academic soul and helped motivate me to learn beyond the course requirement in that subject. Utilizing platforms I know in different ways has also helped me hone real-world skills outside of the basic Microsoft Office Suite or a random LMS. I also feel empowered to channel my own interests into my work in more meaningful ways than discussion board post.

While there are obviously differences between adult learners and children, I feel that those in high school tend to exhibit pillars of andragogy when given the chance to take control of their learning. High school students are already online. Learning how to be responsible online citizens while learning relevant content seems like a win/win.

As I move forward in my own education, I feel more drawn to pursuing K12 as a potential career path. I have so enjoyed peeking behind the curtain and learning about my classmates' experiences in that world. As I reflect this week, I reflect on my own long-term goals.

Like a lot of innovative ideas, I don't know if current structures support the experience I envision, although this upcoming semester may be the time for those in education to test it!