Teach Twitter in Elementary Schools?

Logging on to your computer is a daily ritual for many people. Some programs are easy to learn and some require structured classes and a detailed explanation. However, when it comes to social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, it is easy to just sign up and take a test drive. As I was browsing TechCrunch to catch up on my daily digital news, I came across an article that explains that the British government is proposing that Twitter is to be taught in elementary schools as a part of a wider push to make online communication and social media a permanent part of the UK’s education system.

Details about the proposed curriculum are listed in the The Guardian, the well-known British newspaper and it has caused quite a stir across the globe. The plan is to strip away hundreds of specifications about the scientific, geographical and historical knowledge pupils must accumulate before they are 11 to allow schools greater flexibility in what they teach. It emphasizes traditional areas of learning - including phonics, the chronology of history and mental arithmetic - but includes more modern media and web-based skills as well as a greater focus on environmental education. The proposal would require children to leave primary school familiar with blogging, podcasts, Wikipedia and Twitter as sources of information and forms of communication. They must gain "fluency" in handwriting and keyboard skills, and learn how to use a spellchecker alongside how to spell.

While I do agree that it is essential that children learn how to use computers and various technologies, I don’t think it’s necessary to enforce that Twitter be taught as part of the curriculum. The skills that kids acquire from learning Web technologies can also help them in real world situations and ultimately, be prepared for the working world. But what happens when kids are taught these programs in class and then are on them while class is in session? How many times to professors say “no instant messaging in class?” Soon they will have to say no “tweeting” or “updating your status in class.” British teachers that are instructing these Web-focused classes need to make sure that kids understand the basics but also the rules of etiquette.