The Use Of Facebook In The English Classroom In overview of the different uses of social media in teaching, Charles Wankel

suggests that what we educators will find ourselves with are digital natives, also known as millennial students, which are mostly students who have been using technology since their toddler years. For this reason, Wankel supports the use of Web 2.0 technologies, such as Facebook, blogs, YouTube, and Twitter, in order to provide students with richer, more extensive exchanges than [they] are likely [to have] in a face-to-face classroom situation (Wankel, 2009, p. 251). He proposes the use of Facebook groups in which students can have extensive discussions about activities related to their class. Karen Kucher explores the positive effects of the use of Facebook in the English classroom, such as an increase in motivation and communication between peers. The author notes that social networking sites offer a strong audience for the students, which is key to motivating them through the stages of the writing process, most notably revision and publishing. With the use of social networking in writing activities, the teacher is no longer the only person to ever read the student's work. She also comments on how Facebook offers an unprecedented opportunity for shy students to voice their opinions: The technology gives shy students an easier way to participate in classroom discussions, allowing them to type feedback in a chat session instead of having to raise their hand to offer opinions (Kucher, 2011). Authors, such as Stacy Kitsis, have also discussed the necessity of having an opportunity for students to practice skills or work through ideas outside of school as being more vital than ever with rising class sizes limiting face time (Kitsis, 2009, p. 30). Others have also proposed that the next revision of writing pedagogy is one that emphasizes digital spaces, multimedia texts, global audiences and linked conversations (Pascopella & Richardson, 2009, p. 45). In Allison Skerretts study, the preservice teachers working on a project in an Adolescent Literacy course Skerrett use Facebook because it is a place where students come together, participate in a novel way and make the learning process more exciting. She also discusses that the use of Facebook would also create new tensions, dilemmas, and changes in dispositions and repertoires of practice experienced by students in relation to literacy education (Skerrett, 2010, p. 74).

Wankel gives some caveats of using Facebook, since it provides a vast access into the instructors or students personal life and can raise concerns about the appropriateness of this exchange in personal information, photos, and messages. In her concluding comments, Skerrett also advises that there are considerations to be had when using technologies such as Facebook in the classroom such as the lack of control over the students uses of the page could be one of the considerations when using this platform. Skerrett suggests that educators need to be aware of how to help their students engage responsibly with literacies of technology (Skerrett, 2010, p. 82). Pascopella and Richardson recommend counseling teachers about the legal implications of inappropriate use and having a clear policy, which parents sign off on, that covers both in-school and out-of-school use of social tools (Pascopella & Richardson, 2009, p.49). In addition to the various concerns regarding online safety and the appropriate sharing of information, some authors also warn against the obstacles teachers often face when considering Facebook and other social media websites as teaching aids. For example, Darlene Koenig points out that many districts have blocked access to sites such as Facebook and Twitter in their schools as a safety measure, making their implementation in classroom activities difficult, if not downright impossible. In addition, teachers must take into account not only what students from differing economical statuses can access at home, but also the differences in learning styles among students. Although Facebook's popularity is evident, teachers should not dismiss the effects of using the site as a motivational tool on students whose interests are not web-based at all (Koenig, 2011). Koenig emphasizes that using Facebook in the classroom is the means rather than the goal of teaching. She quotes 2010 National Teacher of the Year, Sarah Wessling, as saying Instructional design is what underlies the use of technology, [the idea for] 21st century learning is not just about the technology, but about creating learners who are problem-solvers and critical thinkers. Author Sean McCollum also comments on this relationship, stating that in order to successfully integrate information technology in schools, teachers must be well-trained in its usage, have clear and well-considered goals in their instructional design geared towards trasnformative outcomes, as well as be equipped with useful and reliable software, hardware, and internet access in the classroom (2011).

Kitsis, S. (2008). The Facebook Generation: Homework as Social Networking. English Journal, 98(2), 30-36. Koenig, D. (Spring 2011). Social Media in the Schoolhouse. Teaching Tolerance, 39, 42-45. Kucher, K. (2011, May 31). English Classes Enter Facebook Era. The San Diego Union-Tribute. McCollum, S. (Spring 2011). Getting Past the 'Digital Divide'. Teaching Tolerance. 39, 46-49. Pascopella, A., & Richardson, W. (2009). The New Writing Pedagogy. District Administration, 45(10/11), 44. Skerrett, A. (2010). Lolita, Facebook, and the Third Space of Literacy Teacher Education. Educational Studies, 46(1), 67-84. Wankel, C. (2009). Management education using social media. Organization Management Journal, 6(4), 251-262.