This week has begun with a discussion on formal and informal learning via social media, and a reflection on how much we have used social media during this pandemic. Will our Facebook memories be flooded with posts about having to hunt for toilet paper, learning a new hobby, or spending days in bed in our sweatpants?
One of the articles that I chose to read for class this week was a research article on teens and their social media use, but more specifically how they are using social media for informal learning. I thought this article was really interesting and even as a high school teacher who interacts with these kids on a daily basis, I was surprised at the amount of learning going on.
The students in the article were using their social media platforms to learn about potential college and university programs, they were building businesses as an entrepreneur and selling items online, they were building Pinterest boards of what their lives will be like when they join the military. These are all excellent examples of how these students used various social media applications and were members of a community, some more involved than others.
This led me to think about my time during quarantine and my social media use- have I learned anything during these last eleven (I had to go back and look at a calendar because I had stopped counting) weeks on lockdown. Of course, I have been taking graduate classes and interacting with my classmates and the EME 6414 community, so, yes, I have learned many things, but what about informal learning like those teens in the article?
Well, I have built two new Pinterest boards of recipes. I recently got an Instant Pot and a nice stand mixer, and that has enticed me to learn new recipes and try them out in my new appliances. Thankfully, Pinterest has a plethora of instant pot recipes and people are active in that community, so most recipes have reviews and comments on how the recipe turned out, any tweaks or improvements to the recipe, etc. I have also started to research gardening. Now that going to the grocery store is even more of a hassle I would much rather grow my own fresh produce and herbs, but I do not know where to start. We were asked to explore Reddit this week for our class, so perhaps I will find a good r/gardening community on there to learn a few things. I think I will be needing a lot of moral support as I enter this unfamiliar world.
I suppose I have been learning things while exploring social media these past few weeks. Maybe I shouldn't feel so guilty about all of that time I have been spending online!
One of the articles that I chose to read for class this week was a research article on teens and their social media use, but more specifically how they are using social media for informal learning. I thought this article was really interesting and even as a high school teacher who interacts with these kids on a daily basis, I was surprised at the amount of learning going on.
The students in the article were using their social media platforms to learn about potential college and university programs, they were building businesses as an entrepreneur and selling items online, they were building Pinterest boards of what their lives will be like when they join the military. These are all excellent examples of how these students used various social media applications and were members of a community, some more involved than others.
This led me to think about my time during quarantine and my social media use- have I learned anything during these last eleven (I had to go back and look at a calendar because I had stopped counting) weeks on lockdown. Of course, I have been taking graduate classes and interacting with my classmates and the EME 6414 community, so, yes, I have learned many things, but what about informal learning like those teens in the article?
Well, I have built two new Pinterest boards of recipes. I recently got an Instant Pot and a nice stand mixer, and that has enticed me to learn new recipes and try them out in my new appliances. Thankfully, Pinterest has a plethora of instant pot recipes and people are active in that community, so most recipes have reviews and comments on how the recipe turned out, any tweaks or improvements to the recipe, etc. I have also started to research gardening. Now that going to the grocery store is even more of a hassle I would much rather grow my own fresh produce and herbs, but I do not know where to start. We were asked to explore Reddit this week for our class, so perhaps I will find a good r/gardening community on there to learn a few things. I think I will be needing a lot of moral support as I enter this unfamiliar world.
I suppose I have been learning things while exploring social media these past few weeks. Maybe I shouldn't feel so guilty about all of that time I have been spending online!
This article also had me reflecting on what meaningful uses I've had for social media during the quarantine. With this class I've been utilizing social media for lots of learning that I probably wouldn't have participated in otherwise but I'm not sure I use social media in the same way the students in the article did. I've used Facebook to share videos and photos of my foster dog, hoping to get her adopted. I've also searched for recipes and made many different things I've found on Pinterest. I'm actually looking for something good to make with the blueberries I picked this weekend. Pinterest is a great place to look for ideas for your Instant Pot! I always find great ideas on there. I also like your idea of searching Reddit for a good gardening community. I may search for some good vegetarian communities and give some recipes a try.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to hear that you're making lots of meaningful connections with social media, learning and your profession. I'm familiar with the feeling that you've mentioned in the last paragraph, and I'm sure many of us here can relate to you in that regard... It's clear that you're learning a lot!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat is it about cooking and quarantine? I got a bread maker and have used it not only for bread, but also cinnamon rolls and danish. Yum! Also gardening (I look online for help often).
ReplyDeleteThat sounds delicious! I have some fun settings on my instant pot that I would like to try like cake and yogurt, but I haven't branched out yet. It took me a while to feel confident using the pressure cook setting, haha!
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