Summary of Learning…Now what?

This class has been nothing short of wonderful, engaging, and thought-provoking. It’s allowed for so much reflection and critical thought regarding how we, as educators, can use social media and technology to engage our students in various capacities.

This video, as my final summary of the course, discusses what I’ve taken away from this class. The course content has impacted several aspects of my work as an administrator – everything from extensions, to appropriate use of social media, to social media activism, as well as the potentials of AI – there has been so much knowledge acquired.

Thanks for following along with my journey in this course. It’s been a slice!

Summary of Learning

Landscaping: All good things must come to an end (for the best)!

When I originally thought of landscaping a portion of my backyard to create a surface of patio stones for a firepit, I had concerns that it might be too simple and straightforward. “How hard could it really be?” was a question that I replayed over in my mind for about a week’s time. However, I quickly found out this was not the case! Landscaping is hard work!!! And more to the point, it requires immense attention to detail, while also being physically challenging at the same time. What I also came to realize was how unique my project was in its own way because I didn’t have much opportunity for “redo’s”. Creating an entertaining area by laying paving stones is a one-and-done deal. It’s difficult to go back and fix or try again if it’s not done right the first time. Therefore, I often found myself quadruple checking online and using social media in countless ways to ensure I was on the right track.

Measuring the radius of the firepit and paving stones.

Measuring the radius of the firepit and paving stones.

Throughout this learning project, I accessed countless social media platforms: Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok to name a few. However, YouTube ended up being the most reliable and easy to follow (somewhat of a go-to) platform to get content and information for my project. I found that it was a ‘one-stop-shop’ for what I specifically needed: a good variety of amateur vs expert content, short and sweet videos if I needed a quick answer, long and detailed videos for the times I needed to see every aspect of the project through to completion, visuals that could be easily paused and replayed, comments and replies from people who had viewed and used the videos to help with their own DIY projects, and no ads (thanks so uBlock origin and AdBlock). For a project like this, I found YouTube to be the ideal social media platform and I would highly recommend it for anyone taking on their own backyard or house-related project.

Special shout-out to the following videos/resources for being my most frequent ‘go-to’s’ when I hit a roadblock:

Countless steps and new learnings went into this project, which included things such:

  • Creating a rough sketch of the final layout and measuring the dimensions of the area that was going to be landscaped
  • Getting line locates completed, courtesy of SaskPower, SaskEnergy, and SaskTel
  • Understanding City of Regina bylaws regarding Firepit Regulations
  • Properly measuring, grading, and prepping the area to prepare for digging/excavation
  • Digging to an appropriate depth (7-9” below ground) to prep for the base layer
  • Creating the base layer using gravel/crusher dust (approximately 80 gallons of crusher dust were poured and tamped down for my project)
  • Leveling the base layer before adding 1” of sand throughout the area
  • Laying the paving stones in the desired pattern
  • Tamping and compressing the paving stones
  • Adding sand and sweeping it into the cracks to help seal the stones into place

Overall, between researching, planning, and carrying out my project, I probably spent 40-50 hours on this project. And my firepit area isn’t even that large! Many of the projects that I watched on YouTube had a 8-10’ diameter circular paving stone area, and mine was only 6’ (although most videos I watched had 2 people working on the project, whereas I did almost everything on my own with very little help from my husband). Perhaps I was too thorough with some aspects of my project, but since there weren’t many opportunities for re-do’s, I wanted to ensure it was done properly and thoroughly the first time.

Hole before starting to lay the base layer.

Hole before starting to lay the base layer of gravel.

I have taken away so much amazing learning from this project. First off, landscaping is extremely hard work! I have a new-found appreciation for anyone who does landscaping or DIY projects around their yard. It requires a significant amount of planning and coordinating before starting the project. I’m glad I did my due-diligence with researching because at one point I was tempted to just start digging…that would’ve been a mistake that would’ve been tough to fix! Secondly, I didn’t know that each step of the process (digging, base layer, sand, paving stones) had to be so precisely measured and completed. I found myself measuring, remeasuring, and then measuring again before I picked up the shovel to ensure I had my plans right. Lastly, this project has helped reaffirm for me the value of social media, in general. The amount of content across the countless platforms is truly overwhelming (as in ChatGPT-capabilities type of overwhelming). There is truly something for everyone and everything: you just have to be willing to put in the time to find the stuff that’s right for you!

Learning online to complete this project definitely came with its fair share of challenges. Watching hours of videos and sorting through various resources that may or may not be useful eventually lost its fun, but it was more than worth it to have found the resources that were applicable and of value to me. Overall, it was an incredible and rewarding experience. To be able to look at our landscaped firepit area and enjoy it for years to come is honestly priceless! Knowing that I completed it (almost) all on my own is such an amazing feeling. I don’t like running, but perhaps this is what it feels like to have just finished running a marathon. The best part is that it’s an area that will be used for entertaining friends and family throughout the summer months when it’s time to kick back and relax!

Filling the gaps with sand. Almost done!

Filling the gaps with sand. Almost done!

Landscape paving stone project complete.

Landscape paving stone project complete.

Thanks so much for following along with my learning project. Here is one last video showing the final stages and eventual completion of my project (sped up 20x to save you from watching a 4-hour video). Enjoy!

Audio credit from the video:

9 to 5 – Dolly Parton

Takin’ Care of Business – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Manic Monday – The Bangles

Work From Home – Fifth Harmony

Open Education – Is it the way of the future?

This week in class, we discussed the concept of ‘open education’. For most of us, this term was new and unknown. Although simplistic in nature, and is occurring in various ways online already, the idea of education being fully open and accessible to all is likely a distant future away. However, I truly feel that the idea of open education is the correct way forward and is the shift that education needs to move towards.

Let me start by describing what ‘open education’ means to me. What I took away from class and by watching the “Why Open Education Matters” video is that open education is the idea that knowledge and information is something that should be available to all people, regardless of geographical location, because it is intended to be there for the common good. Lack of funding or resources, and outdated knowledge or training, is often what inhibits education from being optimized and open in the first place. Open education is the idea that qualitative knowledge should be available to both teachers and students everywhere, for free!

YouTube (or Google), arguably, can be viewed as the first online platform to make education open and accessible to everyone. Access to technology and an internet connection, of course, still needs to be accounted for. However, if these obstacles could be overcome, then the idea of global, open education could a realistic option. What if educators used YouTube or a similar platform to upload videos that they have made for any grade level, subject, and outcome in the SK curriculum? This could become an incredible open sharing network that all educators (and perhaps students) could access to share and find resources so that they don’t have to start from scratch with every outcome or topic that they are expected to cover.

How great would it be if teachers and students could access textbooks or resources that they use on a daily basis from the comfort of their home? Or anywhere in the world, as long as they have access to a computer/smartphone and an internet connection. This is the inhibitor, really, since the availability of technology and access to internet isn’t accessible to everyone. We tend to think of other countries being limited in terms of their resources, but the lack of things such as computers and laptops is widespread in the communities we work and teach in every day.

One of the limiting factors of open education is that people are greedy, and sometimes rightfully so. Good knowledge should be of value and those that work hard to create reliable and accurate information should be compensated for their efforts. However, where does the money-making end and the access to information begin so that everyone can benefit from this open sharing? Is the ability to share and receive knowledge enough of a reward for those that have valuable knowledge worth sharing in the first place? Where does the financial gain end, and where does the complete openness begin, so that everyone (and not just some) can reap the reward of lifelong learning? Having a government that invested in and valued public education, rather than decreasing and cutting funding year after year, would be a great place to start.

Computer and tablet

Computer and tablet

co working team meeting concept,businessman using smart phone and laptop and digital tablet computer in modern office with virtual interface icons network diagram Stock photos by Vecteezy

Landscaping: Laying the pavers!

On Friday, the paving stones finally arrived!!! (*shrieks like a small child*)

Pallet of paving stones

Pallet of paving stones

It was so exciting to start working on this part of the project because, up until now, it’s been a lot of grunt work and physical labour. My body still hurts today, but knowing that the end-product was in sight helped me to fight through the body aches and sore muscles.

Saturday was spent outside the whole afternoon completing these last stages of the project. The first step was leveling 1” of sand throughout the circular area using PVC pipe and a flat object, such as a 2×4”. The PVC pipe helped to ensure a consistent 1” depth of sand throughout and the 2×4” was extremely helpful at leveling the sand once it was added. Here are the steps that I did to complete this project, and some tips I learned along the way thanks to YouTube videos courtesy of Bro Builds Patio FirepitThis Old House, and Pavestone Company.

Tip #1: make sure your conduit or PVC pipe has an outside diameter of 1”. Most pipes’ dimensions are measured using the inside dimensions, which can actually make a significant difference. Thankfully I had learned this from Bro Builds before I bought my own PVC pipe, so I brought my measuring tape with me to Rona when buying mine.

The process of leveling the 1” of sand is actually quite tedious and time-consuming. Making sure the sand has no bumps or ridges is crucial before laying down the paving stones. You don’t want your paving stones to end up being wavier than SK roads after the winter thaw!

Tip #2: don’t tamp down or put added pressure on the sand before laying the pavers down. (I have a video that will be in my final blog post of me almost crying after my dog decided to walk across the sand when I wasn’t looking). You don’t want the sand compacted because once you put the pavers down, you want them to have room to set into the sand beneath it. This will help to keep your pavers in place, as well.

Tip #3: when it’s time to put the pavers in place, make sure you set the pavers down right where you want them. Try not to slide them around after putting them down or it will make ridges in the sand and cause the pavers to become unlevel over time.

Tip #4: plan out your paving stone placement before starting. My pavers had a variety of light, dark and mixed colours, so distributing them throughout the design will help make the finished product look great. This is where I got my husband’s assistance, which leads into another tip…

Tip #5: having someone to help hand you paving stones or arrange them around the circle saves a lot of time, including a lot of bending over (my back is sore enough today, so shout out to my husband for his assistance with this part!)

Once the pavers were in place, it was time to ensure they stayed there. This involved putting down some extra sand and sweeping it into the cracks.

Tip #6: to help the sand settle into the cracks, use a hand tamper and gently pound down the pavers. This helped the sand to fall into the cracks, and also sets the pavers into place that much better. Using a broom, I continued to push sand into the cracks and also added some extra sand around the outer ring to hold the pavers in place.

Tip #7: for next time, I would have measured and dug a hole that has a diameter that is a few inches wider. This would’ve allowed me to put edge restraints around the perimeter of the stones to help to keep the paver stones in place. I’m slightly concerned that the outside ring of pavers might start moving over time. At the same time, I think this would provide a sharp final look to the paving stone area.

All in all, I’m really happy with the finished product, and I’m proud myself. This project was a lot to take on and it was both mentally and physically exhausting. These last few steps that I did on Saturday took me about 5 hours to complete. I recorded this whole process (excluding the last few minutes because my phone died), so a video of me completing these steps is in the works. I’m just waiting for it to upload and then I will include this in my final blog post. In the meantime, here are some before, during, and after pictures of the entire process. Thanks so much for reading, learning with me, and following along!

Area of my backyard before the project began.

Area of my backyard before the project began.

Hole before starting to lay the base layer.

Hole before starting to lay the base layer of gravel.

Base layer of gravel is now complete.

Base layer of gravel is now complete.

Finished product with paving stones in place.

Finished product with paving stones in place.

Finished product with paving stones in place.

Finished product with paving stones in place.

Online Activism: Is it productive?

One of the things that intrigue me the most about social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter is their ability to connect and engage people in trending topics, all while promoting dialogue and conversation. At the same time, it’s why I probably spend the least amount of time on these platforms. I love reading threads of peoples’ replies to various posts, but I need to be in the right mindset if I’m going to engage and delve into it myself. It can be mentally exhausting to deal with people that are being intentionally hateful and hurtful online. As long as the conversation stays focused on the topic and the replies are logically sound (ie: they don’t become personal attacks), I often get roped into the back-and-forth banter. For me to engage, the conversation needs to stay respectful and on-topic.

I can spend hours reading threads of replies about activism; however, I don’t often engage in the dialogue myself. On Twitter, with its ability to stay cloaked in anonymity, the respect piece sometimes goes out the window and hateful comments often litter the thread. I find that this happens on Facebook, as well, but not to the same extent. In the media, you often hear stories of educators getting fired or having their teaching license revoked due to comments that they have made. Sometimes, even the most seemingly innocent of posts backfires and an educator is in legal turmoil. Over the past decade or so, I have erred on the side of caution in regard to social media so as to ensure that I don’t upset the wrong person. For these reasons, I have often avoided getting involved in online conversations related to activism.

However, the discussions and presentations we had in #ECI831 class this past week have really made me start thinking differently about whether these social media conversations are worthwhile. In Katia Hildebrandt’s blog about ‘In online spaces, silence speaks as loudly as words’, her statement stating that “if we…as educators…remain silent about issues of social justice…then we are sending a clear message: These issues are not important”. This resonated so profoundly with me and reminded me of the importance of having a strong presence online. Although you might not change the world, or even change a person’s mind, there is power in numbers and building a professional network online helps to achieve that. Being engaged in conversations about activism on social media is part of our digital citizenship as educators; a privilege that many do not have.

Being in a position of power and authority (in which educators undoubtedly are) is in fact a privilege. As a Caucasian male in Canada, I am part of a class of people that also has privilege. I recognize these as privileges that I have, and for that reason, I need to use my privilege to address issues such as gender and racial discrimination. As a gay man myself, if I had a teacher or figure in my life that spoke in support of queer people when I was growing up, that would have made such a profound difference in my life. Social media should be a space for educators to use to their advantage and stand up for those who don’t have the same privilege. This class, as well as my own personal reflection this past week, has reminded me of the importance of engaging in, and being open to, these types of conversations as part of our professional responsibility. As Harvey Milk said in his famous Hope Speech “unless you have dialogue, unless you open up the walls of dialogue, you can never reach to change people’s opinions”.

How do you use your voice to engage in social media activism?

Microphones

Microphones.

Free Stock photos by Vecteezy

Landscaping: Creating the base layer and leveling

Now that my body has slightly recovered from digging the firepit area, I have moved onto creating the base layer, which involves the repetitive task of leveling the gravel: one wheelbarrow-full at a time. In the evenings (when it hasn’t been raining), I’ve spent several hours in what feels like an infinite loop of moving gravel (also known as ‘crusher dust’):

shoveling, dumping, raking, leveling, and tamping…

shoveling, dumping, raking, leveling, and tamping…

shoveling, dumping, raking, leveling, and tamping.

This layer of crusher dust serves as the base layer for the paving stone firepit area. Since the planning of the project is in the past, I am now into the stages of actual seeing things come together. This is such a satisfying feeling, and at the same time, it has allowed me to reflect on how beneficial (or unhelpful) the online resources I have accessed actually are.

One of the resources that I have frequently referred to throughout this project is the YouTube video Fire Pit Patio Build – DIY Project by Bro Builds. Here are my critiques on this resource thus far:

Pros:

  • They provide a very honest account of what goes into a project like this (for example, there’s a lot of digging and manual labour involved).
  • Throughout the video, they provided ‘Bro Tips’, which are tips and tricks that would help anyone who’s planning to do their own DIY fire pit patio build.
  • They discussed what mistakes they made and provided advice of what they would change if they could do the project all over again.
  • The final layout of the project (a circular fire pit patio area made of paving stones) was quite similar to the idea I had in mind, so I have been able to (and plan to continue to) follow the steps in the video through to the end of the project.

Cons:

  • Appears to be the first time they’ve done a project like this. They definitely weren’t experts in this area!
  • Countless errors or mistakes were made along the way, so you couldn’t just watch the video and learn from it that way. Their commentary was crucial in providing advice or suggestions of what they would’ve done differently.
  • Didn’t provide advice about where to get the circular-shaped paving stone kit, specifically the wedge/pie shaped patio stones. I will discuss this in one of my future posts, but I ended up going to 4-5 different stores before realizing that paving stones needed to make a circular shape had to be ordered in a special kit. More on that later!

The 10-Step Guide to Installing Pavers pdf guide has been another resource I have often accessed throughout my project. The positives and negatives of this resource are:

Pros:

  • Short, sweet, and to the point. The step-by-step instructions are not overly wordy, but still provide enough detail for someone familiar with the end-goal of the project to be able to ‘do it right’ the first time.
  • Pictures that are included in the guide helped to visualize each step. Any equipment that is required for each step is included in the pictures/descriptions, as well.
  • A one-page (double-sided) guide was great to have on hand while working outside. I was often dirty, working in the sun, and had to refer to the instructions often. Having a one-page guide (I printed it out) was useful so that I didn’t need to have my laptop or phone outside with me.

Cons:

  • A minimal amount of detail. The guide assumes that there is a solid base knowledge in place and doesn’t overly elaborate on the specifics of each step.
  • Difficult to visualize what each step looks like while performing each step/task. The pictures mostly show the ‘end result’ of each step.

Here are some pictures that I took tonight as I approach the end of creating the base layer. I still need probably 4-6 pails (5-gallon pails) worth of crusher dust (15 pails of crusher dust have already been used). Up next is finishing off the base layer and then creating the 1” sand bedding layer. After that, the fun part begins: laying down the actual paving stones!

Hole before starting to lay the base layer.

Hole before starting to lay the base layer.

The base layer, nearly complete.

The base layer, nearly complete.

Some of the tools used to create the base layer.

Some of the tools used to create the base layer.

Update (as of June 11, 2023):

The base layer of crusher dust is now complete! Tamped and leveled, 3″ below the surface of the grass. This will allow for 1″ of sand and 2 3/8″ paver stones to be added. Paving stones are ordered and should be delivered this upcoming Friday. Hoping to install those next weekend. Almost there!

Base layer of gravel is now complete.

Base layer of gravel is now complete.

Base layer of gravel is now complete.

Base layer of gravel is now complete.

Landscaping: Manual Labour ≠ Fun Times

This past week was the least enjoyable part of this project: the digging! Several times while digging, my brain had to remind my body that “this is fun, we’re having fun!” Thank goodness for Robaxacet!

This stage of my project involved digging down far enough so that a solid base layer could be created. One thing that I’ve learned through my research is that, depending on the usage of the paved area (ie: to park vehicles on vs to leisurely walk on), a certain depth for a base layer needs to be obtained in order to ensure that the finished product will last for years to come. Depending on the thickness of your paving stones, most backyard projects need to be dug to a depth of 7-9” (minimum 4” of crushed rock/gravel, 1” of sand, and then the thickness of your pavers determines the depth that needs to be dug to). For my project, I had to dig down 8” because the paving stones I’m using are 3” thick.

Person digging

Person digging

Image courtesy of YouTube: Fire Pit Patio Build – DIY Project by Bro Builds.

I’m a pretty active and physically fit person, but I quickly realized that people who do landscaping do not receive enough credit! Digging to a depth of 8” is not only hard work, but is much farther down than meets the eye. I’m exhausted and every part of my body currently hurts: my legs from squatting, my hands and arms from shoveling/digging, as well as my neck and back from bending over. Here is a quick video that shows all the work and digging that went into my project today.

Fortunately, most sources that I have referenced, including the 10-Step Guide to Installing Pavers, tell me that the digging is the toughest part (at least in regards to the physical demands) of the project. FYI: most of the sources I have accessed for this project have been videos, however, the ‘10-Step Guide to Installing Pavers’ pdf document that I referenced above has been a terrific resource that simplifies each step of this process. It contains more steps than I will need for my project, but it breaks the entire project down in a 2-page guide. I highly recommend it!

What are some DIY projects you’ve done around your house or yard? I need the motivation right now to convince my sore muscles that this is worth it.

Also, does anyone have any yoga, mindfulness, or stretching recommendations? My body needs them. Until then, I’m off to my chiropractor!

Oooohhhh, the ‘tweet-est’ thing!

Of all the social media platforms out there, and from the perspective of being an educational tool, I actually find Twitter to be one of the best ones in the business. On Twitter, there is a category and flavour for everyone! Tweets are intended to be short and sweet because of the character limit, and the ability to connect with people/communities via hashtags has led the way for the world of social media. Ultimately, this is what students want from a social media platform: connection, conciseness, and community!

Students don’t love writing, never mind reading, paragraphs of information. Thus, I have found blogging to nary be their cup o’ tea. TikTok is great, but in my experience, it is filled with mind-numbing (and dare I say, useless) videos and information. Snapchat should be avoided like the plague – the ability to send/receive pictures or chats, while knowing that they will soon disappear, is a recipe for disaster. Facebook is for ‘old people’ (which is why I love Facebook), and Instagram is more about memories than it is about dialogue, debate, or conversation.

Twitter contains the best of all worlds and therefore can be incorporated into the classroom in a variety of useful ways. Pictures and videos can be shared with ease, communication is concise and to the point, and there is a wide range of topics for people to find and connect with. I have participated in one Twitter chat a few years back, and I found it to be a great way to share ideas and resources in a concise way, while also promoting respectful dialogue and discussion.

For these reasons, I find Twitter to be a leading social media platform for educational purposes. Please feel free to disagree (or agree) with me. Like Twitter, this should be a space to share your thoughts and feelings in a respectful and appropriate manner. Does anyone else feel that Twitter has the potential to be a valuable social media platform for the classroom? Why or why not? What other social media platforms have you found to be useful educational tools? #eci831

Free Stock photos by Vecteezy

Landscaping – Proper Measuring

Around my home, the past couple of weeks have been so productive and beneficial for me. It’s been great to be outside: summer is in sight, and it’s been a joy to start getting my backyard in shape. I’ve spent numerous hours outside since the start of May, and most significantly, I have begun the initial stages of prepping the area of my backyard for where the firepit and entertaining area will go. The plan (seen in the rough sketch image below) is to have a circular firepit (which we are getting custom built) that will be 36″ in diameter, surrounded by 12″ of paving stones. The firepit and paving stones will be properly landscaped (properly graded, including the ground below the firepit prepped) so that this feature will be able to withstand prairie weather for years to come.

To ensure this is done properly, I’ve spent several hours researching and educating myself on how to properly landscape and prepare for high traffic areas, such as paving stones. Shoutout to This Old House – How to Install Concrete Pavers and PavestoneCompany – Pavestone Paver Installation on YouTube for the helpful knowledge and tips on properly landscaping and laying paving stones.

I’m a planner, so when I commit to something, I want to make sure it’s done right the first time. For the initial stages of this project, here are some of the things I learned:

  • Since there will be digging and excavating taking place, the first thing on the to-do list was to have SaskPower, SaskEnergy, and SaskTel come to stake out our backyard and determine where each of their underground lines are running (already completed). Fortunately, the area where we plan to dig and put our firepit isn’t near where the underground lines are (thank goodness, because this part will involve digging approximately 8” underground to pack down the area where the paving stones and firepit will end up…more on this will be discussed in my next post).
  • Using the location of the underground lines, we confirmed where we want our firepit to be, and then determined the perimeter to where the flat landscaping stones will extend to. In the images below, the yellow flags are the location of the SaskEnergy lines, and the orange/red flags determine the perimeter of the project (the orange flag in the middle represents the centre of where the firepit will be). From the centre of the firepit, I measured so that the edge of the area is 8’ away, and any building material is at least 10’ away, which is the required distance that City of Regina bylaws regarding Firepit Regulations dictate that firepits must be from any combustible material (ie: buildings, porches, and decks).

Now that the area is staked out, the next steps of this project are to begin prepping the area (digging and properly grading), including creating the base layer that the firepit and patio stones will be placed upon. To be continued…

A sketch of the firepit area to be landscaped.

Yellow flags showing the location of SaskEnergy lines.Orange flags showing the perimeter of the area that will be landscaped.Me measuring the radius of the firepit and paving stones.Measuring the radius of the firepit and paving stones.

TikTok: An educational tool?

I’ve had a TikTok account for about two years now, but like many of my other social media accounts, it makes an appearance as often as the Loch Ness Monster. I’ve probably only logged into my TikTok account half a dozen times over the past few years. Each time has been because a student wanted me to watch a video that I “had to see”, or to familiarize myself with a trend that my students were currently into. With that being said, I fully believe that there are a lot of intriguing features and benefits to social media platforms such as TikTok.

I spent about an hour today scrolling through various TikTok accounts, but mostly educational ones. I quickly understood how some students get so wrapped up in their phones and, before you know it, an hour has gone by. There was some great educational content that I stumbled upon that I found to be wonderful reminders of the ‘little things’ we do in a day as educators that can make a big impact on our students. For example, one teacher (Mrs. Wagenleitner TK Teacher: @kriswags3) was telling her students why they shouldn’t vocally announce “this is easy” when learning about a topic. All people in educational settings (students and staff) need to be mindful of the words that they say and how what they say might affect those around them. I found it interesting that such a ‘simple’ video about language created so much dialogue. More than 10,000 comments were made about this video, mostly in agreeance with Mrs. Wagenleitner. However, not everyone agreed with her, but I guess that’s the power of social media. In an instant, it creates the opportunity for dialogue that has no geographical barrier. For many reasons, it is a huge benefit to be able to connect with people who are engaged in similar areas as you. At the same time, it allows for immediate critique of both personal and professional values.

For these reasons, I do think TikTok can be used in educational settings (specifically with children) in advantageous ways. However, students and parents both must be aware that using these platforms come with their own unique challenges. To the extent that social media allows for great conversations and critical reflections, it also allows for anyone who disagrees with you to express their beliefs, often times cloaked in anonymity. It becomes important to recognize that this can be an educational opportunity in itself. Students need to be taught that it is okay for there to be a disparity in opinion. However, how we respond to these disparities and communicate our own beliefs needs to be done in respectful, ethical, and appropriate ways; all of which are teachable aspects that educators can work towards with their students.

TikTok Logos

TikTok Logos

Tiktok app logo icon vector Vectors by Vecteezy