Snapchat Murders Facebook

So before this video I had the impression that snapchat was just a way for students to send text messages during class that couldn't be recovered.  I've had students shout out, "snapchat" during class letting others know to chech their, I guess, inbox (is that the correct term?).  I had no idea how dynamic snapchat has become.  It seems similar to Vine, except the videos in snapchat disappear after 24 hours.

I like that Snapchat has become a mechanism for students to share stories.  Currently, I am reading Daniel Pink's book A Whole New Mind.  The chapter on story is one of my favorite thus far.  It demonstrates the importance, and anthropological basis for humans to crave creating and consuming stories.  Students are no different, they are little humans, and want to share their own stories.

I belive that a savvy teacher could potentially use snapchat stories in class.  In history class we discuss the importance of oral traditions in pre literate societies.  Tribal history and culture are passed down through stories.  The older generation teaches the younger generation the stories.  The younger generation must learn the stories verbatum.  If they deviate even one word, the learner must relearn the story.  This way the integrity of the history remains intact.  An interesting exercise would be to have a story shared on Snapchat, students need to memorize it, and then repeat it durnig class, after the 24 hour window has dissappeared.  This way they can experience what it would be like to live in a pre-literate tribe, where memorization of stories was required to maintain a consistent cultural heritage.

One question that came to mind was this:  Are younger people moving away from Facebook because their parents have begun to embrace it?  What will come when older generations begin to utilize snapchat, will it no longer be cool? 

 Pink, D. (2006). A whole new mind: Why right-brainers will rule the future. New York: Riverhead Books. 
 Snapchat Murders Facebook. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2015.