When I first started taking EDTC 300, I was coming from an anti-technology in classrooms stance. My plan was to teach the basics of computers and their functions, with minimal iPad integration and that would be the end of tech’s role in my future classrooms.  

Based on the number of hours that my teenager spends on her phone, and the number of times I’ve heard from teachers that their students are constantly distracted by cellphones, I still firmly believe that there is a time and a place for technology in a classroom, especially where social media is concerned. 

In order to raise a generation of proactive and respectful digital citizens, I no longer believe that keeping my students separated from technology will benefit them.  

Social media allows for an array of problems, from round the clock cyber-bullying, to the filming/photographing and sharing of private moments, inappropriate behaviour and the non-retractable sharing of opinions.  

These problems are consistent themes in the lives of modern high school students. What can be accessed through the internet, and through the use of apps that are constantly being generated, is endless.  It is our responsibility as teachers to educate our students on safe, healthy and productive uses of technology.

One of the problems that parents and teachers today face, is dealing with the unknown that comes with tech. We recently explored a bevy of cell phone apps which allow users to store and hide content on their phones, utilize apps that are not age appropriate or promote the sharing of explicit photos and conversation. Most parents know about apps like Snapchat which allow their teenager to send photos of anything knowing that they will be deleted within a certain time frame, giving youth a false sense of security. But apps have evolved beyond snap chat and having a basic understanding of what is out there will benefit anyone who has an influential role in the lives of youth.

With apps evolving daily and new apps becoming accessible on a regular basis, it’s hard for parents and teachers to keep a handle on how our youth are utilizing their technology. 

This, is precisely why I would teach my high school students (all students) how to contribute to the internet in healthy and positive ways, while engaging with social media in a highly critical way.  

With this newly developed goal in mind, I believe I would allow social media into my classrooms, during the appropriate lessons with the objective of teaching my students how to enhance the world and their experiences online.  

Twitter and blogging can be used effectively and in easy-to-monitor ways. These can be utilized as mediums through which students can demonstrate skills and knowledge, making them appropriate for a high school setting.