This week's lecture spent a considerable amount of time going through instructions of how to use Google+ and Twitter.
The Google+ section was a nice review for me because I have actually been using that form of social media for about a year now. I actually got very accustomed to using the Google Hangout application to meet with my group members and complete projects that we were working on. It amazes me how far technology has come within the last fifteen years. I remember when I was in elementary school, the Internet had just been introduced and it took forever just to load a single webpage. Now people can hold conversations and see each other's faces in real time! I have been playing with the idea of using Google Hangout to tutor my students or conduct a reading assessment when we are not in school but I am hesitant to try this idea because I suspect I will run into a lot of liability and privacy issues. Those issues aside, Google is a very inventive company and I find their social media very useful in the world of education. I would really like to see new ideas of how to use Google's social media to enhance lessons in a classroom.
It was interesting to learn about using Twitter. When Twitter first became popular, I thought it was a fad and that it would die out in a matter of months. However, to my surprise, Twitter is still alive and seems to have a pretty secure place in the world of social media. I am very used to using Facebook and I find Twitter to be quite restricting. There are restrictions on how many pictures can be posted at a time (one picture) and how many characters can be used in a Tweat. However, I do like how Twitter made the hash tag (#) cool again and started a trend that even Facebook has begun to use. Using hash tags helps me to quickly reference people and places as well as look up old Tweats from the past. I'm not sure if I will continue to use Twitter after this class is over, but I want to keep an open mind for now.
The two questions on my mind right now are:
1. What are some ways that other teachers have used Google social media to enhance their lessons?
2. Do you prefer to use Twitter or a different social media? Why do you prefer that social media?
3. Is there a way to use social media, especially in an elementary setting, that doesn't cause liability and privacy issues?
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