In todays class we had the privilege of hearing a guest speaker discuss some of the consequences of using technologically incorrectly, and how we can avoid placing ourselves and students in vulnerable situations.

The “danger of social media” is not a new topic of conversation for me. Since I grew up in a generation where social media and technology in the classroom has been accessible, I have had my fair share of lectures regarding “stranger danger” and how to use social media appropriately. When I heard that this speaker was going to speak about technology I assumed this would be a similar experience. To my surprise, I was wrong.

The thing is, I had always been taught what the consequences were from the perspective of a student but never from the side of a teacher. I have always been private about what goes on in my life but learning how much data a schools Wi-Fi alone can collect really freaked me out. It made me revaluate the purpose behind me using my phone in school knowing that it may not be as private as I had hoped. I went back after the lecture and looked at my own digital footprint and evaluated it from the perspective of someone who might be on the hiring team of a future teaching job I desire. I asked myself, “is what I am posting reflect who I am and what values I uphold?” So far I think my social media does, but it definitely will be something I continue to keep in mind before I post something on the internet.

Another thing that stood out to me from this lecture was the predicament of banning or not banning phones in school. For as long as I have been in school, we were never allowed our phone in class. If someone was caught on their phone during class time the teacher was permitted to take that students phone and hold it until the end of the day. I never really questioned the policy as it was something I was used to and I guess I thought phones could be a big distraction so it made sense why teachers wouldn’t want them in their class space. What was pointed out today that I did not think of was how some kids need their phones to be able to communicate with their parents or deal with stressful situations in a private way without the worry of a teacher snatching their phone away. I also never realized until it was pointed out today how if you ban kids from using their phones and then they found on in class they are being bullied or harassed online, they might be more reluctant to tell you because technically they werenā€™t supposed to be on their phone at the time they found out. As a teacher this is very problematic as you create a barrier between yourself and your students safety.

Instead of just banning phones and social media in the classroom, I think educators need to find a way to adapt and find ways to make healthy use of them in the classroom. The reality is phones are only going to become more and more frequent in schools so being able to find a routine that works and being equipped to handle issues regarding the misuse of social media is more useful than just banning them. Banning phones, in my personal opinion, seem more like an easy fix, than a viable solution.

Photo by ƁrpƔd Czapp on Unsplash