Social Networking Technologies

Social networking technology has become a widely used form of communication for people of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures. From the smallest islands of the South Pacific to the major metropolitan areas of Europe and the U.S., social networking connects people around the world for a variety of purposes. Given the rise in the use of social networking technology, it is reasonable to address its use in the classroom. Computer-supported collaboration is a necessary component for today’s learning environments because we have made a professional transition into working as a team, instead of working independently in silos (Bonk, 2011). The two social technologies I would select to support an academic curriculum are Facebook and YouTube. I believe these two platforms are the most effective in fostering engagement and communication among peers and creating a supportive learning community outside of the classroom.

Since its release in February 2004, Facebook has become a go-to social media site for adults. Facebook can be used to set up private groups for classmates to share information and comment on each other’s posts. On a class page, users can contribute materials for the course, ask and answer questions, write on each other’s walls, and exchange information through both “open” and “closed” group pages (Richardson, 2010). When using Facebook, instructors can control who has access to the group and can also monitor use of the page. I would incorporate this technology into the classroom setting is by posting discussion topics, helpful links related to the course material, and encourage students to comment and add relevant information. For example, in a human services class, I might post a current news article related to the child welfare system and ask students to share their opinions, feedback, and ideas in relation to the topic. I would also use Facebook to organize and conduct study groups for my students and post important class announcements. I believe an unintended outcome of this design would be more peer-to-peer connections and long-standing connections outside of the classroom.

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YouTube is effective in an educational setting because it requires users to watch and/or post videos. Educators

and students can share informative videos and tutorials, as well as self-made videos and presentations. YouTube is widely considered by instructors to be a preferred learning tool because it provides quality education and supports visual and audible learning, note taking, and micro-learning formats (Srinivasacharlu, 2020). In addition, YouTube supports connection and engagement and allows teachers and students to creatively express and share pertinent information. One way that I would use YouTube in the classroom is to assign students to post a presentation video. I would begin with assigning a PowerPoint presentation and then follow-up with assigning a video presentation. This encourages students to become familiar with the platform and how to use it, and to become comfortable in front of the camera by creating their own videos. Another way I would use YouTube is to share relevant, instructional videos for my students to watch, share, and comment on.

References

Bonk, C.J. (2011). The world is open: How web technology is revolutionizing education. Jossey-Bass.

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Corwin Press.

Srinivasacharlu, A. (2020). Using YouTube in colleges of education. International Journal of Education, 8(2), 21-24. https://doi.org/10.34293/education.v8i2.1736