In this age of information technology, it is imperative that high school students learn to utilize the resources that exist in order to enhance their learning.
As a high school journalism teacher it is my duty to expose my students to the “new media”. High school students use Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets; however, they seldomly use it as a learning tool or academic resource.
In my photojournalism classes, students have been introduced to WordPress. Ironically, I was introduced to WordPress through my graduate journalism course. I decided that my students not only needed to know what WordPress offered, they needed to actually use it as a learning tool and a way to display their work. It is exciting to know that high school students are using the same resources that graduate students are using in the field of journalism.
Photojournalists are trained to meet deadlines. This 9 weeks my photojournalists had to complete a photo essay and post it to their WordPress blogs. Syes Social Media Superstars were given an assignment and a strict deadline. Only those students who completed the assignment by the deadline date were deemed Syes Social Media Superstars. Montell Texada and Mason Pruitt are not present in the picture, but they are also recognized as Superstars.
As novice photojournalists, these students have proven that connecting social media to classroom instruction can lead to academic achievement.
(L-R) Jordan Cline, Shayla Tibbs, Chloe Sanders, Jasmine Wilmore, Kamesha Blackburn and Nic Malveaux. Photo by Vickee Syes.
You can view their work by visiting their sites:
Jordan: www.toorealjordan.wordpress.com
Shayla: www.1carelesswhisper.wordpress.com
Shelly: www.livesceneshelly.wordpress.com
Jasmine: www.jasminewilmore45.wordpress.com
Chloe: www.chloesanders54.wordpress.com
Kamesha: www.kameshab.wordpress.com
Nic: www.nickosworld.wordpress.com
Montell: www.ripslugga.wordpress.com
Mason: www.lilmaso.wordpress.com
