Activity 3: Trends and Shifts (Evaluate Practice in Context)

Globalisation Trends

• Individuals, cultures and companies are moving around the world and impacting, influencing other countries. This includes the spread of multinational companies with diverse ethnic differences.

I see examples of this on our tamariki today. These are companies that they (our tamariki) interact with on a daily basis. They have become part of their world. These are companies and organisations like Facebook, Google, Youtube, Twitter (Social Media). These companies have a huge influence on our tamariki. Their influences create trends and patterns within our society. 

Therefore, my goal is to give our tamariki the skills and abilities to create and influence the world themselves. To not be just part of Facebook or Google but to be the new leader in these fields of technology. To create the future companies and organisations that lead in Global trends.

So the trend that I am identifying that has swept the globe is "Social Media". I have selected this issue because of its huge influence on many people today (especially the youth). There are many PROs and CONs to social media. My personal opinion is that I think many youth have not yet learnt that everything you read, see or hear on social media is not always true. Once they learnt to critically analyse what they have viewed then it will be even more beneficial.  

According to Forbes these are the top 7 social Media Marketing trends for 2016

1. Less is more, better is better.

2. A shift is happening in platform dynamics.

3. Live streaming is getting bigger.

4. Buy buttons are becoming more common.

5. New applications are changing social interaction.

6. We’re seeing a push for more personalization.

7. We’re getting broader app functionality.

I see all of these current trends relevant learning opportunities for my Māori students. Science, technology, engineering (Problem solving) and math learning relate to the development and creation of these trends (STEM or STEAM programmes).

We as educators need to prepare our tamariki for the future. As mentioned during our MindLab lectures, We are preparing our students for a future that is not yet created. So, I believe that we must at least look at the trends to get a peek at what the future could look like or what direction the future might be moving towards. Social media is already a huge part of our students lives so it is our responsibility to use these tools to continue to ENHANCE our students learning, life future.

Some examples of how we might use Social Media in education:

• Connect the entire classroom in a Facebook group
• Ask your students to blog
• Tweet
• Host a podcast or video channel
• Start a Flickr photography project
• Flip Classroom

Reference

Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds (National Intelligence Council, 2012).

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2016/08/01/the-top-7-social-media-marketing-trends-dominating-2016/2/#3b2eef8b3ac8

http://www.teacherswithapps.com/10-great-ways-to-use-social-media-in-classroom/

https://www.knewton.com/infographics/flipped-classroom/