With 4.72 billion users globally, social media has changed the way people communicate. From social lives to education, social media has become a platform for students to collaborate and harness in a variety of different ways to enhance their learning experience.
Of course, a tool like social media needs to be used responsibly to maintain a safe online environment. Teachers and students should be clear on the benefits and risks before using these tools for educational purposes.
Some benefits of social media in the classroom:
- Real-time communications can increase student engagement, collaboration, communication, and overall participation.
- Many students may find it easier to participate in online discussions than in the classroom.
- Social media can provide a contingency plan for last-minute remote learning scenarios.
Some risks of social media in the classroom:
- Social media can be a major distraction in class, especially if students are accessing their personal accounts independently.
- If students primarily use social platforms to participate in class discussions, they can miss out on practicing face-to-face conversations.
- Teachers must be responsible and attentive administrators to prevent and address inappropriate behavior.
Social media can be used to organize group projects, communicate with students outside of class, share resources, and much more. In our article 5 Steps to Optimize the Classroom Experience with Technology, we layout some steps teachers can utilize to introduce media into the classroom. Social media can also be used more outwardly to share school news events, advertise fundraising, and send out emergency alerts.
Apps like Facebook and Twitter can be used to maintain connectivity by having an online community, posting updates or announcements, sharing vital links, and answering questions. These apps can also be used to show students the dangers of misinformation or learn how to find and cite accurate sources of evidence.
Other social media like blogs, Pinterest, and Instagram can help cultivate students’ creativity. Blogs provide a great source to practice their essay writing and can post their reflections and responses. Pinterest and Instagram are great visual platforms for inspiration, infographics, and examples of previous projects. Students can also use this as a visual-based learning style to help their engagement.
With the help of social media, educators can connect with their students easily and provide them with a platform to engage. Social media also helps students collaborate, stay motivated, and involved.
How do you use social media within the classroom?
Sources:
https://pce.sandiego.edu/social-media-in-education/#:~:text=Teachers%20can%20use%20social%20media%20to%20organize%20group%20projects%2C%20communicate,Promoting%20school%20events https://www.eschoolnews.com/digital-learning/2023/04/07/students-harness-social-media-job-skills/
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