Digital Leadership

As educators, we must remember that there is a fine balance between being safe on the internet and building up a positive social media presence, which is something employers are looking for.  So, how can we make social media a positive thing in the classroom so that our students develop digital leadership?

Digital Leadership can improve the lives and well-being of others. The key is to find a passion.  We can show kids the possibilities of Social Media to voice what they are most passionate about and affect change in the world.  Here is a TedTalk video by Curran Dee who founded DigiKids.com.  In this video, he talks about how Social Media has changed his life by allowing him to connect with the world.  I like his quote, “The journey began with a tweet”.  

We can help our students navigate social media and guide them to use it in a digitally responsible way.  Of course, we must first ensure that parents are on board with introducing students to Social Media. Twitter and Facebook are not the only entry points, as mentioned in my IT course today, Google Sites and TodaysMeet are two safe and controlled ways to begin introducing students to social media.  I also think encouraging students to create their own blog where they can share their voice is another way for students to begin their digital footprint. Why I think Social Media is so important for our students is that it allows students to have a voice and share and receive ideas from the global community.