My experience with social media and digital composition is likely
limited compared to my peers. I have an Instagram that I find myself on for a
few minutes most days to look for funny pictures of animals doing funny things,
I’ve also used Snapchat to share 1000’s of pictures of my cats with the world,
and in the early 2000’s, I was very active on Myspace (I don’t believe this
experience is very relevant today). As for promoting social action, my actions
in that area are unfortunately mostly limited to comment sections and online game
chat areas, where I’m certain I haven’t had the impact I’d like to while trying
to connect with angry gamers to work toward pointing their attention to the
problems of the world.
Despite my lack of current experience, and occasional resistance
to future experience, I’m fortunate enough to not be so ignorant that I can’t
see the massive potential for online media in the pursuit of change and in
creating a more well-rounded educational experience for students and teachers
alike. The only real pitfalls in using digital media that I can see so far are
within my (hopefully temporary) lacking expertise. The potential seems almost
endless, especially in school districts with children below the poverty line
that suffer losses related to availability of information constantly. Looking
at a broader definition of online media, it might be likely that cell phones
and tablets are an important factor in closing the gap. With smartphones, teens in less privileged areas can connect and interact with the world through apps
that connect to social media, news, and a library of information on the
internet that would be unheard of 2 decades ago in (for good or bad) a
relatively unrestricted manner. Alongside the availability of information on
smartphones and tablets, is the willingness of students to engage with those
devices. Whether they know it or not, every text that a student sends, every text
they read, every group chat they participate, and every meme they share privately
mocking their moves them into a level of ever-increasing literacy. Incorporating
those devices into the ELA classroom and explaining to your students the
potential for change that each of them holds in their hands every day might be
the next big step into making real change for their generation and those to follow.
