Educational Value of Social Media

Why Are We Using Social Media?

Before I answer that question, let's talk a little bit about what social media is. It can be described as "networked tools that support and encourage individuals to learn together while retaining individual control." What does that mean? In a sense, it means that learning can be enhanced by creating, manipulating, and sharing content online. Social media also allows us to communicate, exchange opinions, and connect with each other.

But are we using it in the classroom?

There is a lot of research out there to prove that social media can improve students' thinking and learning. If you want to learn more about it, I recommend reading "Homework on Social Media: Benefits and Outcomes of Facebook as a Pedagogic Tool" located by clicking here. This article discusses the benefits of using Facebook for homework.

Some of the greatest benefits of using social media, according to Taecharungroj (2013) are that it:

• Is easy to use
• Communicating through social media is easy and convenient 
• Encourages constructive thinking
• Connects students to the variety of media available on the Internet. For example, YouTube hosts a variety of blogs, websites, and news outlets that connect learners with the most current information
• Students can exercise creativity by creating images, audio, and videos online, and gain a sense of pride and fulfillment by sharing them through social media.
• Promotes collaboration and collaborative learning
• Improves social bond
• Web 2.0 services and social media allow students the opportunity to interact with others, help them, and facilitate group projects.
• Students have a community of peers that fosters a feeling of membership and connection
• The enriched sense of community encourages students' motivation to study because they feel like they belong.

Here is a link to our classroom Twitter account: 

Sprouts Twitter

We will be using our twitter to post updates about our WebQuests. Students will have access to the account and will be encouraged to tweet about recent findings, accomplishments, or questions. I will also use the account to provide students with additional research materials and tools, as well as to remind them of deadlines and due dates. Our Twitter will be easy to use, promote collaboration and collaborative learning, and help to encourage students in the completion of their WebQuests. 

If you have any questions or concerns on the integration of social media, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Sincerely,

Miss Devine

PS- If this is your first time engaging in social media and want to learn more, here is a little cheat sheet  ;-)

Resources:

Taecharungroj, V. (2013). Homework on social media: Benefits and outcomes as a pedagogic tool.International

Journal of e-Education, e-Business, e-Management, and e-Learning, 3(3), Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/pqcentral/docview/1440453686/fulltextPDF/351BB33EE14943E6PQ/7?accountid=3783

Introduction to WebQuest!

Drumroll please….

     I am so excited to introduce to you the start of our next science unit: biomes! 

     Hold on a second. What's a biome again?

     A biome is large naturally occurring community of animals and plants occupying a major habitat. We'll be studying the relationships in a biome's ecosystem and learning how plants and animals depend on each other.
     

     If that makes no sense, don't worry. You'll learn more soon. 

     We will be discovering new information in a way we never have before. Any guesses on how we might be doing that? If you guessed it involved the Internet, you are right! Students will be facilitating their own learning (that's right- no listening to your teachers talk!) in their search for information about the biome of their choice! 

     How will they do this?

     Students will soon become active participants in a newly designed WebQuest. This WebQuest (titled Building a Biome) was designed by Miss Devine, specifically for our third and fourth grade classroom's unit of study. A WebQuest is a way for students to discover their own knowledge (based on the resources provided by Miss Devine). Students will work in groups to complete their WebQuests. Each student will be assigned one of the following researcher roles: biologist, botanist, climatologist, or fact finder. After they have conducted their research, students will embark upon a series of tasks. Groups will work together to complete the specific tasks, which are described in detail on the WebQuest page. The culminating project will be a presentation that is given to the class about why their biome is the best one! Also, since we are an arts-integration school, we will of course be creating artwork. Students will design a poster advertising their biome to be hung in our classroom! 
    There is so much to learn, and fortunately, the Internet has so much to teach us! Get ready to step outside your comfort zone/ home into a new land- a WebQuest journey into the land of biomes!

     Click here to view our Building a Biome Webquest.

Biome Voyage,

Miss Devine

Students only: Please post your answer in a comment below!

     Have you ever considered moving to a different environment? If you could live anywhere in the world, what kind of environment would you want to live in? Why? (Hint: think about the climate (weather), animal, and plant life you might like to be around!)

Educational Value of Animoto

Animoto is Fun!

Today students made their own Animoto videos based on the biome they are researching.

Animoto is a fun website that allows you to upload your own pictures and turn them into a video! Here's how to make one:

1. Go to www.animoto.com
2. Click "Create"
3. Choose the background you like
4. Upload pictures
5. Caption the pictures with short descriptions 
6. Choose music for the background
7. Add text if you prefer
8. Hit "Preview video" to see your presentation!

After we made our Animotos, we shared them with the entire class using our Smart board and projector. This was a great way for our class to learn about all the biomes without having to research them all individually!

Animoto helped us summarize some key points from our research. We were able to search for pictures which helped us portray our main ideas in a creative, inciting way. I was able to see how much students really knew about their biome by the pictures they chose. Students did not realize I was assessing their knowledge! :)

Here is a link to an Animoto created on the tropical rain forest. Please share your thoughts on the video and your own experience with using Animoto with us!

Tropical Rainforest

The Educational Value of Wordle

One of the topics we will be studying this year in science is biomes. A great activity to help us practice the many vocabulary words included in this unit is Wordle. Wordle is a website which allows you to create "word clouds" out of any words you choose. The bright colors, fun fonts, and different sizes help students remember the vocabulary terms in the unit. Visualizing terms is very helpful when learning new material.

Wordle can be used in many different ways. It can be educational or you can just make one for fun! As a teacher, I am always looking for new and exciting ways to reinforce vocabulary words. Our class is very excited to being making our own word clouds in the classroom!

Click here to make your own! 

Here is the Wordle on Biomes that I created:

Check back again soon for new updates on our trips!