In my opinion, social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube should be used for educational purposes. Technology in the 21st century has become a huge part of our lives. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google are among some of the most popular 21st century websites.
“Technology in the 21st century never ceases to amaze me,” Technology Director Mr. Ken Jordan said. “The advancements are beyond what I could ever imagine. I think in education it has opened doors to many so that they can reach new learning goals.”
The media and world revolve around technology. Most people rely on social media from these four main websites. For example, you can find almost anything you type in on Google, Justin Bieber might have a 100 million views on one of his hit videos on YouTube, a status made by your favorite celebrity on their fan page has thousands of likes on it, or your favorite politician is posting tweets to Twitter.
“I would certainly like to see the opportunity for more social networking sites to be available,” Mr. Jordan said. “But with that new level of access comes a new level of expectations of students to use the internet appropriately.”
Currently, students cannot have full access to the internet at school because they might go on sites they’re not supposed to. However, using an override code, teachers have access to YouTube for educational purposes.
“Everyday, 24/7, Twitter and Facebook are used around the world to share ideas, discuss current issues facing schools and to explore new educational opportunities.,” Mr. Jordan said. “It comes down to being able to provide these tools and comply with the federal laws that dictate the content that can be released into the school environment.”
“You can find every bit of information on the computer, and that’s the place where you can get all of your information,” substitute teacher Mrs. Cathy Hendrzak said. “I can get news, gossip, and what everyone is doing all on the internet.”
Students should have these social media opportunities in school as part of our education because it plays a huge role in our lives today in the 21st century.
