Recently I've been reflecting on the presence of social media in my own life. Like nearly all college-aged people, I have a facebook. Over the years I have also found my way into the "Tumblr" and "StumbleUpon" online communities. While Facebook does not, in my opinion, serve many if any educational purposes, I believe that both Tumblr and StumbleUpon do. I wonder this: do these social media sites have a place in the classroom? Tumblr, which is a scrapbook inspired social media site in which users reblog and post photos, text, video, and audio, has a diverse audience of users, from high school aged individuals simply looking for an outlet of expression to teachers and professionals alike simply looking to network and share their knowledge of their expertise. Below is an example of a Tumblr blog I myself follow which serves both an educational purpose and an individual interest:
cavetocanvas.tumblr.com
StumbleUpon is a social media site in which the user selects his or her interests from a list of categories and, based on the selections, the user is taken to random websites. I believe that both of these sites have the potential to be useful in the classroom. As a future art teacher, I strive to be able to engage my students in a way that incorporates 21st century technology. Tumblr could be used for students to make blogs focused on perhaps art history or a particular art medium. Students are already interested in these sites; why not educate students at the same time?
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