Knowledge Management of Social Media in Classroom Teaching
No Comments// Posted in e-classroom, ICT, m learning, malaysia, student, teaching by Nor Fadzleen Sa don on 08.20.14.
It is inevitable to talk about 21st century classroom learning without including Social Media in the big picture. In the context of classroom learning, teachers have been contemplating on its implementation, not on the need to use it but more on which social media tool that best delivers the intended objectives of the lesson. It is important to note that there is a dire need to properly manage knowledge via social media without being overwhelmed by the pervasive nature of digital technologies as they escalate by leaps and bounds. With the influx of ubiquitous social media tools, it is hard to pinpoint one-size-fits-all tool that can encompass the overall needs and wants of classroom learning. Vicki Davis wrote a great guidebook for Social Media in the classroom that offers useful resources and tips on optimizing them for collaborative and personalized learning. Zaid AlSagof encapsulated myriad of social media benefits that are geared towards research and knowledge sharing. If you feel overwhelmed and have no inkling which is which and what’s the purpose of various social media, I present you social media 101.
Apart from trying out various social media, knowing how to manage them is essential too. Rick Mans wrote an interesting article on 3 components for knowledge management that I believe can also be applicable in implementing social media in classroom teaching.
- A repository
- A social network platform
- A social collaboration platform
Social media is catalytic in knowledge repository where information can be curated, grouped and shared with others regardless one’s location. This is made possible via cloud computing where social media tools such as Pinterest, Scoop.it, Storify, etc. capitalize on social curation element for users to optimize in storing their digital resources. Apart from these social curation tools, knowledge repository can be in form of cloud-based storage such as DropBox, Google Drive and Teambox. The dawn of 21st century learning foresees knowledge curation and knowledge gathering skills to be vital amongst netizens as the significance of knowledge may vary and differ from one user to another. Rather than hoarding the information, educator needs to impart the skills of knowledge curation with the students so they can store the knowledge that are useful and meaningful to their learning development.
Another component in knowledge management is social network platform where the pervasive usage indicates its surmountable importance towards sociocultural, psychological and economic influence on a global scale. I believe majority of students nowadays have Facebook accounts or at least are aware of its existence, although some may use it to upload recent selfies, stalk their crush/peers or follow their idols online. Education-wise, teachers can utilize Facebook to encourage asynchronous discussion on various issues that are parallel to the syllabus. It is interesting to note that some students who show inhibition in verbal communication in school may be active online as they are empowered by the flexibility of voicing out without the intimidation of face-to-face scrutiny and peer pressure. This is more prevalent amongst Asian and Middle Eastern students where the verbal communication may not be as robust as their Western counterparts.
I believe the best element that can be optimized via social media is the collaborative element that is evident in social media platforms. Teachers can initiate project-based learning and collaborative projects either classroom-bound or beyond the classroom walls. Blogging, Wiki and Presentation platforms are some tools that can enhance collaborative and leadership skills amongst students. I did digital storytelling with my students via social media where students express their thoughts via FB group and post the progress via blog and upload their videos on Youtube. Empowering the students with their own digital identities help students to fortify their self-esteem as well as showcase their skills to others. This will eventually lead to intellectual capital where students see knowledge as a stellar asset in moving forth amongst their peers and progressing in their learning adventure.
This October, I’ll be one of the national trainers for 21st century classroom learning workshop where we will train selected teachers who will champion the ideas of global classroom and cascade the various innovative learning tools and strategies that can be implemented in Malaysian classroom. I’m looking forward to sharing ideas with these teachers.
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