Facebook is such a common form of communication in today's society. It is a way for people to keep in touch with friends and family, share pictures regarding their own lives, and join events or discussion groups. It is highly popular and is a part of daily life in our society. If this is the case, do you think it could play a role in education? Although there is negative media attention surrounding the harmful privacy and safety issues of social networking sites like Facebook, if used appropriately, I think it could be an effective tool to motivate students to learn.
I do believe there is potential for Facebook to play a role in education. Facebook can enable students to create a network of friends and share media or interests in an easy-to-use website environment. Teachers could encourage group work and discussions about curriculum-based content through Facebook with various students from other classes, schools, states, or even countries. Students could even exchange information about culture with students from other parts of the world to increase their knowledge on a personal level. The opportunities to connect with people and learn new things are endless, which could positively affect educational tasks. Using social networking sites like Facebook will also increase students’ level of engagement because it is something they are comfortable with and familiar using. As a result, I do think Facebook has the potential to play a role in education, but it must be used for the right reasons. Teachers must choose appropriate lessons that could integrate this tool and monitor its proper use. It may take some time before parents and educators regard this site as an educational tool, but I definitely think there is potential.
Kidpix is a great webtool that should be used in classrooms because its features are so engaging for children. It allows for students to paint and draw, explore backgrounds and pictures of many topics, and even create a slideshow of images with transitions and custom recorded sounds. It is such a beneficial tool because it combines sounds, graphics, and special effects to make multimedia projects. I think this webtool would successfully motivate students to use their creativity to engage with the school curriculum. When using technology, students can master content in fun and interactive ways that allow them to use their imaginations. I would definitely recommend using this program in the classroom and could find ways to connect to social studies, science, and ELA lessons. For example, students could retell a notable story they read in class or create their own stories using graphics and sounds from Kidpix. They could create a presentation of slides on the difference between living and nonliving things or on community helpers. The options are endless and teachers could integrate various content from the curriculum by utilizing Kidpix. Here is an example of a short story I made in my graduate class when exploring the features of Kidpix:
Randi's Kidpix Slideshow
If it was engaging for me, I can only imagine how students would feel using this webtool. Try it in your classrooms! I think it will help bring your curriculum to life!
