It wasn't till recently that I started posting a great deal of "status updates" on Facebook and I have never been a blogger until I started this masters program but I have paid a great deal of attention to what others blog about or what their "status updates" are. Frequently, I find myself editing what others write and question their education...mostly because I went to the same school as they did. I started reading the article "How to Help Students Use Social Media Effectively" and realized that this is a problem out there more than just with some of the people I graduated from high school with. I do agree with the author's point that we as educators do want to have our students have an audiance and be heard but we also want their message to be heard and not have others focus on the grammer errors. Teachers do need to continue to hold their students to high expectations with grammer even if they are using the Internet. I also think that students need to understand that everyone out there can read what they post. It is important to yes, express your feelings, but also to add substance or new knowledge so people learn from what you are posting.
Reference:
Marcinek, Andrew. "How to Help Students Use Social Media Effectively." edutopia. 10-19-10 Retrieved on 11-7-10. http://www.edutopia.org/blogs/how-to-help-students-use-social-media-effectively?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
I agree. Teacher's need to insist that students use correct spelling and grammar in the classroom. It is just like anything - there is a time and a place for it and we need to teach when and what those are. Although I do think that appropriate use of social-networking needs to be taught at home and in school, I firmly believe that the kids that are using it inappropriately are going to do it no matter what and are the same kids that are bullying and saying mean things at school, as well.
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