Running Head: SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE CLASSROOM

Social Media in the Classroom

Nicole Duque
University of West Georgia

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Article #1:
Value of Social Media in Todays Classroom
by: Barbara E. Hagler

Summary
This article primarily looks at the positive aspects of using social media in todays classroom.
Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, Flickr, Blogs, wikis, video, and podcast are the main
forms of social media in they are referring to having and using in the classroom. Social media
can help prepare students for the real world by engaging them in the global community of social
media. There are a few negative aspects of social media mention, the top contender being
cyberbullying.

Analysis of Methodology
This was a content analysis piece. The author looked at journal articles and websites from
2009-2012 for the analysis part. The different types of social media that were specifically looked
at were blogs, chatting and instant messaging, Facebook, Google Docs, LinkedIn, podcasts,
tablets and smart phones, Twitter, wikis, and youtube. Most of the resources she used for her
analysis were from the social media sources webpage or from scholarly articles written on the
subject matter, so they came from fairly reliable sources.
Summary of the Results
This avenue of social media has changed how people communicate in the world, and it
was found to be an important skill in business, making it beneficial to teach students how to use
it properly. Social media was found to be engaging to students and gives them a sense of

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belonging. It was also discovered that although students are on social media, they might not
really know exactly how to use it properly, so teaching it in the classroom would be a great
solution to this. Knowledge of social media could determine whether or not a person gets a job in
the future.
My Opinion and What I learned
This analysis seemed to be accurate. I do think it is important for students to know the
importance of social media and how it can be used. This definitely translates to the real world.
Students are always saying they are never going to use this is real life, when referring to topics
taught in school, but I think this is one that they will use and that they will like. Students are
exposed to this anyways, why not teach them the proper way to utilize it. There are so many
positive features to using this is the classroom.

Article #2:
Using Disruptive Technologies to Make Digital Connections: Stories of Media Use and
Digital Literacy in Secondary Classrooms
by: Shanedra D. Nowell
Summary
This study focuses on teachers and students at an urban high school where mobile devices
and Web 2.0 tools are considered disruptive. Teachers introduced using mobile devices and social
media in the classroom as learning and relationship building tools. Using these technologies
encouraged teaching digital literacy and strengthened relationships with students and teachers.
Analysis of Methodology

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This was a qualitative teacher research study. Teachers and students were asked about
their concerns about media and digital literacies, the digital divide and digital teacher and student
relationships. Purposeful sampling was used to select research participants to get a good
representation of the schools population. There were ten total participants, seven students and
three teachers. These participants were interviewed about how social media and mobile devices
were used in the classroom.
Their responses were analyzed using open coding, which is an inductive method of data
analysis where close reading of data reveals ideas to be labeled and coded to see if there is a
pattern or recurring theme. The researcher used their interviews and focus groups to form restoried narratives which revealed what they thought about social media and mobile devices being
used in the classroom.
Summary of the Results
One thing that was discovered through this study is that students struggled with
connecting their personal media use with their educational lives. Another result showed how
teachers and students used mobile devices and social media at school. Both students and teachers
thought it was important to use these technologies and how they can play an important role in
education. Many of them mentioned the use of Facebook and Twitter as a form of
communication in the classroom. One participant reported having two separate accounts to keep
educational things separate from personal accounts. Many of these social media formats are
accessed at school on mobile devices for educational purposes.
My Opinion and What I learned
I found it interesting that at this particular school mobile devices and social media were
disruptive and not encouraged. Many schools I have encountered have encouraged the use of

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mobile devices and social media. Several schools are getting on board with the BYOD (Bring
Your Own Device) initiative, where students are able to bring in a use their own smart phones
and tablets in the classroom. Twitter has also become a big thing in education.
One thing I really liked from the results of this study was the idea of having two different
handles or accounts on the different social media avenues. It is good to separate your personal
life and your professional life, especially on social media.

Article #3:
Interdisciplinary Literacy Through Social Media in the Mathematics Classroom: An Action
Research Study
by: Gail Casey
Summary
This was an action study done by a high school mathematics teacher in Australia. She
used two of her classes in this research. Social media is known to enhances literacy practices
which can be beneficial in face to face classes, and she wanted to change her assignments and
classroom interactions to reflect this. It was becoming more acceptable to do this in the
classroom.
Analysis of Methodology
This action research study was a qualitative study. Action research was used to gather
information in order to redesign curriculum projects to be able to take advantage of aspects of
social media that can be used in the classroom. She used two of her classes as each of the groups
or cycles that she wanted to redesign. The method that was used to collect and analyze the data

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from the site Ning, which is an online social media site, was taking screen shots of student
interactions and responses. The images were then coded and filed under the appropriate category.
Summary of the Results
Most of the data came from student interactions from the online use of the social media
site Ning. She looked at their responses to her questions and responses to each others work and
used that to change or create new action plans for the next lesson. She took field notes based on
the screen shots she took and they informed her how successful the student interaction on social
media in her classroom. Using social networking sites to improve literacy helped students bridge
the gaps between in school and out of school learning.
My Opinion and What I Learned
This was definitely an interesting study and I did not always find it to be clear or
understandable. I get what the author was trying to do, but her methods were interesting. Also, I
found Ning to be a great and safe way to incorporate social media in the classroom. It is a way to
create your own online social network, so as a teacher you can control it. Ning has a free trial
period and it is not terribly expensive.

Reflection
After reading these articles, I have found data to support the use and benefits on introducing
social media into the classroom. It helps give students a sense of belonging and it is more
interactive. Some students are more likely to comment on something versus raising their hands in
a face to face classroom. The use of social media can enhance student learning as well.

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These articles also made me see and gave me great ideas on how to incorporate social media
in the classroom. I also learned different tools available in order to incorporate this in the
classroom. These tools can enhance lessons and engage student learning.

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References
Casey, G. (2013). Interdisciplinary literacy through social media in the mathematics classroom:
an action research study. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 57(1), 60-71
Hagler, B. E. (2013). Value of social media in todays classroom. Journal for Research in
Business Education, 55(1), 14-23.
Nowell, S. D. (2014). Using disruptive technologies to make digital connections: stories of
media use and digital literacy in secondary classrooms. Educational Media International,
51(2), 109