Xploration: Instant Messaging with Remind

Our mobile devices are such amazing little gadgets that can do almost anything, including using educational apps to implement technology in the classroom.

Remind is an app that I haven't heard of until now, and I'm upset that it took me this long to find it. After scoping it out, it seemed a lot like other messaging apps, such as Whatsapp or Facebook Messenger. However, you can do so much more. From messaging peers, parents, and teachers to setting up reminders, this app is an effective form of communication using technology. With this assignment, I had to create a group chat and message 5 of my peers, reminding them about things due in some of our classes. It took me a little while to figure out how to make a group, then add people to it after. Once I got it, the rest was easy. I sent my first text, and it became a group chat. We now use Remind regularly to ask questions or to help each other out with school work. I think this app is amazing for every class to have, especially with older grades (such as high school or university). It's a great way to ask for help, give help, chat about lesson and homework, and connect classmates. However, there can be some consequences. I know from experience that group chats can get carried away and change topics really fast. A problem that can arise is when students no longer use it for educational purposes and treat it like another social media app. This can be detrimental for the image that the Remind app is trying to convey. Students can use this app during instruction or work periods, thus distracting them from the lesson or from what they are supposed to do. Lastly, with texts, there are forms of communication that is lost (body language, tonality of voice) that can lead to miscommunication. As a student, I will do my best not to mix school with pleasure and take care to only use Remind for school purposes during appropriate times. As a future teacher, I would take care to really think about what I want to say before sending it to my class to avoid any confusion or miscommunication. I would encourage students to use this app for educational purposes instead of other forms of social media as a means of communication. It is such a great way to integrate technology into our classroom. When used properly and to its full potential, Remind can connect a class and make sure nothing and no one gets missed.