Modern Trends in the Classroom

As a student, I see how much trends on the internet and TV can affect how my peers interact and compose themselves. However, these trends are almost always ignored in my classes and the energy and potential behind them aren't tapped into. To tap into these trends doesn't mean simply using the internet, but doing some of these trends in an academic setting.

In about three quarters of my classes, the internet and technology are utilized to enhance learning. However, in none of my classes, trends are used frequently. The only "trendy" thing I see in my classes are random gifs in notes. We don't create trends like memes and gifs, nor do we create things like websites or social media pages that extend learning outside the classroom using trends.

As a result of using these trends, students can not only relate to the assignment easier, but they also extend their learning outside the classroom if things like a blog or website is created. Although many memes and gifs have little relevance to education, they can still be used for educational purposes. The same thing is true with custom websites, social media, and blogs. To some, these may have little educational value, but they can certainly be used in an educational setting. In Teaching With the Tools Kids Really Use, Susan Brooks-Young describes that it is better to find positive uses for technology than to "fight what is ultimately a losing and unnecessary battle"(Teaching With the Tools Kids Really Use, 2010). Instead of throwing away the potential of these uses of technology, they should be utilized to use the energy and enthusiasm they hold for students. Students are excited about these trends, but only if they are incorporated in a meaningful and less "cringy" way.

If a teacher is going to use memes and gifs as a final product, they will have to be very well thought out as a gif is short video and memes are either a single picture or short video. Using memes and gifs would end up teaching conciseness in design and writing, which is a good skill to learn. Logos for example have to represent an entire company within one picture. There would also have to be a process of elimination of ideas, and then even narrowing ideas. Learning this processes of brainstorming and revision is a great one. This is something that is constantly done in the real world that has significant value in the classroom. A final way to use trends in the classroom is using the internet to share to the world students' work. This provides obvious meaning to the work at hand and students will try harder knowing that their work will be available for all to see. These trends have immense potential and if utilized correctly, help to greatly increase classroom interest and effort.

Works Cited:

Brooks-Young, Susan. Teaching with the Tools Kids Really Use: Learning with Web and Mobile Technologies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, 2010. Print.