Let’s Talk Media:
A section of the reading briefly discussed the usefulness of emailing.
It was explained how emailing allows reports to be saved, keeps track of
timing, and gives teachers the ability to efficiently respond to a situation
with the proper amount of time and content. I appreciate that emailing has
built in spell check and you are able to customize the email to be formal or
informal depending on the intended party. Emails are unlimited and can be
created at will and are readily available when needed. Another feature of
emailing that I believe is important in today’s technologically diverse world
is its ability to communicate with multiple platforms. Emails are not limited
to sending information to one email source (an email provider i.e. Gmail,
Yahoo, AOL) or device, but are able to send and receive messages with phones,
computers, laptops, tablets, and other devices. In addition, the content of
these messages can contain texts, videos, pictures, web links, cinema graphs,
and even attached files. The flexibility of emails makes them ideal for
educational, personal, and business related use.
We always discuss communication in the form of teaching or learning;
rarely do we discuss communication in the form of student success. Chapter 8
reveals that by bringing outer awareness to a student’s work through whatever
communication method is being used, we can both encourage that student to
continue participation and bring about a stronger passion to do better. I feel
that the key in this situation is to encourage students beforehand and let them
do their best on their own. Only after the work is completed might we ask to
publish their works or use them as future examples. I mention this only because
if a student is confronted with the idea of publication or wide publicity
before an assignment, the stress of having to perform for a larger group could
have a negative effect, thus crippling their work. However, this does not apply
to every student, as there are those who thrive with the prospect of multiple
viewers and work well under larger pressure.
Normally, a solid number of students seem to dread writing assignments
when they are assigned. These students don’t look forward to the grading
process, the critique, the pressure of proper grammar, and the concern with the
length of the paper or word count. However, when it comes to social media, we
see students writing masses of messages in their personal time, yet they don’t
consider these messages “real writing” (Maloy, et al, 2014, p. 192). By using technologies
such as blogs, wikis, or online discussion boards, students may feel less
pressure in the writing process. These writing options provide various utensils
for spelling and sentence organization, choices that may alleviate student
concerns, and instead rejuvenate their desire to write by switching up the presentation
of the assignment.
In conclusion, there is definitely room for social networking and social
media in the classroom. The various tools and platforms available make the
participation process more fun and enjoyable for everyone involved. In this
case, even though balance is always necessary, I feel that choosing the
appropriate social media that complements subject material and needs of the
classroom should stand out the most.
Resources
Goshay, Nick (2015, October 11). Communication: Emails and Devices.
Created with Picktochart https://magic.piktochart.com/editor/piktochart/8452668
Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2014). Transforming Learning with New Technologies.
2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
RockhurstHawk (2014, January 10). Festival of Student
Achievement. Retrieved October 11, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufsbs2HEVWQ
No comments:
Post a Comment