When Social Media sites first made their debut, those not apart of the “millennial generation” scoffed at the idea of putting everything out there for the whole world to see.
A few years ago, I can remember my mother warning me about the dangers of posting things on the Internet. She said that we had become a society that did not honor privacy and that in years to come we’d all learn to regret it.
Well, here we are. It’s 2012. My mom now has her own Facebook account—which she is getting better at using every single day—and businesses around the world have learned to use social media sites for their own benefit.
Whether being used as means of advertising by companies or quick ways to deliver the news by media conglomerates, sites like Twitter and Facebook have become not only huge advancements in technology, but necessities in order to achieve success.
I was just getting used to the idea that future employers would not only be assessing me on my resume but on my social media prowess as well, when one of my professors proudly announced to the class that she had plans to transform our final assignment into a “Twitter project.”
Judy Maltz-Schejter, a journalism professor, is just one of the many teachers here at Penn State who have boldly chosen to incorporate Twitter into their classrooms.
I had the opportunity to sit down with her and ask her a few questions about why she believes it is imperative to include social media like Twitter into her semester plans. Here’s what she had to say:
HC: Why did you want to include Twitter in your classroom?
JMS: It’s clear that for more and more journalists today, Twitter is becoming essential, both as a means of receiving information and tips for stories and as a means of building up a following among your readers.
HC: How do you think this will benefit students after leaving your class (in the real world)?
JMS: Hopefully, they will feel more comfortable using this form of social media as a professional tool.
HC:What role does social media now play in society?
JMS: I’d rather address the question of what role they now play in the profession of journalism. I think only those of us who began working in this profession before Facebook and Twitter were around can really appreciate the impact they’ve had. They’ve changed the game in so many ways. For one, they’ve facilitated the process of gathering information for stories. It’s enough to post a status update or a tweet with a request for information, and assuming your network is large enough, you should be hearing back much much sooner than you otherwise would. Social media also allow journalists to get tips and leads from their sources pretty much in real time, speeding up the whole news gathering process. They also enable you as a reporter, by having your articles posted or retweeted, to reach much larger audiences than you would through subscribers to your daily paper. Ultimately, that means that it takes less time to make a name for yourself and become a force to be reckoned with in this business.
?HC: How does Twitter actually help students?
JMS: By making them aware of events that are happening as they are happening and by helping them hone their social media skills, which are very high in demand skills these days.
HC: What advice would you give to professors who are opposed to incorporating social media into their classrooms?
JMS: I’ll admit that I, too, have reservations about it, but what’s the harm in trying it?
HC: Do you think there is a spot for social media in every class offered here at Penn State?
JMS: I can only really speak for journalism classes.