So this week we are suppose to try out two social networking sites and reflect on them. I choose Facebook, which I use regularly, and the other is Pinterest, which I have not used much. I am going to start with Facebook. Up until about three weeks ago, I swore by Facebook and didn't want to have anything to do with Twitter. I only used Facebook to keep in touch with, and reconnect with friends. I have never actually used it to gain any useful knowledge. Now that I am using Twitter, I have realized how much time I have actually wasted on Facebook, when there are such great resources out there. I have only used Twitter for educational needs. I love how I have managed to quickly gain a plethora of knowledge that I can hold on to to use in the future. So what I am really getting at with Facebook is that I find it as a great tool to keep in touch with others, I don't feel like a lot can be gained from it like other resources.
Now with Pinterest there is TONS of information that can be used. I love the fact that you can type in one thing you are looking for and you have all sorts of different ideas. I have an extremely challenging class this year with behavioral concerns. I thought what better thing to look for than things that can help me with my 21 challenging friends. I quickly found some great ideas of how I can change things up and keep using positive reinforcement with my students. This year I have found myself trying many different ideas I have used in the past to see what works with the group. I found some new ideas on Pinterest that I would have never thought of. It was quick, easy, and won't take much effort on my part to start these new ideas on Monday. There was even another link to Teachers Pay Teachers, which is another resource with millions of ideas. Some of them are free and some are not, but just the time you save in creating something new is so worth it.
I agree with you about Twitter and Facebook. I have used Facebook forever to keep up with friends and family and only a few societies for educational/professional use. But the pages for educational use never really "helped" me, no one seemed to update them or offer any resources. I tried using Twitter for the same as Facebook a while back, but found none of my friends were on there, so I didn't use it. After this class and exploring the useful side of it for connecting with people I didn't know, I have found I really enjoy it! I understand it more and have found a lot of useful info on there. Pinterest is one of my favorites too...usually for crafting and recipes! I have found that Pinterest is my "go-to" for any new idea I want to explore.
ReplyDeleteMelanie,
ReplyDeletePersonally, I’m not a huge fan of Facebook, and I don’t have an account. I thought Facebook was a place where unnecessary gossip was spread and a waste of time. However, I may look into this social networking site as a connection for my professional learning network. With that being said, I am a huge advocate for Pinterest. Pinterest still keeps you connected without the needless problem of being too personal. I always find new and interesting tools and ideas to use in the classroom. I decided to join two networking sites that I was not familiar with. The connections I made on Classroom 2.0 and edWeb.net was very enlightening and will be a vital key in expanding my knowledge in the educational field.