Social media has significantly impacted society since the introduction of the internet. While first seen as a way to connect friends and family online, both locally and on a global scale, it has exploded into what it is today and has gone beyond just the “post an update for your friends” purpose. Social media is widely used for networking, marketing, career advancement, and more – even in education. So, here’s a look at how teachers and students can benefit and use social media in education going forward.
Benefits of Social Media in Education
Social media has a number of benefits in education, for teachers, students, parents, and administrators. These are just some of them:
Increased Access to Information
Flickr user Kevin Jarrett
Social media platforms have a wealth of information for students. They can feature articles, videos, tutorials, and more that can be used to advance knowledge of a particular subject.
LinkedIn, for example, has professionals regularly publishing articles and papers on their business pages and personal profiles. Students can access these to learn more about career fields and industries. Facebook has groups dedicated to specific subjects, hobbies, and passions, which students can engage with to advance their own goals.
YouTube, which is considered a video-sharing social media platform, has about 4 billion videos. Teachers can find videos that are relevant to their lesson plan and either share them with students or use them to advance their own knowledge of a topic. Students can search through videos to better their understanding of a subject.
Improved Collaboration, Communication, and Engagement
This one is a bit obvious – that was the “point” of social media in the beginning, to give families and friends the chance to communicate easily online. But it also gives students and teachers a way to continue talking outside the classroom about assignments, feedback, and questions. Students can also collaborate easily with their classmates on projects.
Social media can also make learning more engaging. They can be used to make lessons more dynamic, for instance, or gamification strategies can motivate students.
In addition, social media invites parents and the community to get more involved. Schools can talk directly to parents and the community about schedules, events, and more, all while providing real-time updates. In turn, parents can become more involved in their child’s education.
Digital Literacy Development
The internet is vast, and better digital literacy means the individual is able to quickly find, evaluate, and communicate information they find online. Students who are comfortable using social media and the overall internet have better digital literacy. By incorporating social media into the classroom, teachers can make entire lessons about verifying information, navigating the internet safely, making the most of the internet, content creation, and more.
How Can Social Media Be Used in the Classroom?
Social media, when used properly, can enhance the experiences of both teachers and students. Even parents can benefit. We’ve provided a few examples on how social media can be used in the classroom. However, before it can be used effectively, teachers need to set clear guidelines. Teachers should define education objectives, expectations, and use policies for all of their assignments or objectives that use social media.
1. Classroom Communication and Collaboration
Teachers can use social media to better communicate with parents and students. They can create groups on a platform, one dedicated to students and the other dedicated to parents, to provide them with updates. Resources can also be shared in these groups, so everyone involved is informed and engaged.
For example, Pinterest boards can be used to invite students to pin ideas, inspiration, and resources to share with the teacher and the class.
Teachers can also request that students use social media to work together on projects and assignments or participate in ongoing discussions. These platforms can even be used for polls and surveys.
2. Interactive Learning Activities
Teachers can go beyond the core communication aspect of social media and use the platforms to create interactive learning activities and lessons. Teachers can use YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and other visual platforms to share visual content related to lessons.
Entire projects can also be based on social media. Teachers might ask students to create content that can be published on one particular platform.
Here are some ideas for interactive learning lessons:
- Pinterest. History teachers can share visual content related to the ongoing lesson, such as historical photos or relevant art pieces, and invite students to post their own. This keeps students involved, even when not in the classroom, and they could see photos or items that inspire them.
- X (Twitter). English teachers can create a written assignment where students need to convey an idea in 280 characters or less. This limited space requires students to get creative. Or, science teachers might request their students follow science-related accounts and ask them to showcase an account’s post that is relevant to the lesson.
- YouTube. Teachers can request a student submit a video that they created on a particular subject. This can promote an interest in content creation, editing, and acting, while also getting them involved in the lesson. Creativity should be encouraged! If you’d prefer shorter videos, TikTok might be an option, too.
3. Virtual Field Trips
Some platforms, such as YouTube or Facebook, allow for “virtual field trips.” Students can explore a location using 360-degree videos. Teachers can plan “trips” to museums, historical sites, labs, and environments that are relevant to their lessons. For instance, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City posted several videos from their Met 360° Project, including this one of The Met Cloisters.
4. Digital Literacy and Internet Safety Lessons
Teachers can also take the opportunity to show students how to use social media effectively and safely. Here are a few ideas for lessons:
- Basics of digital citizenship. Students should understand that anything posted online is permanent and traceable. They should think critically about what they share at all times.
- Internet etiquette. Students should be respectful on the internet at all times. Cyberbullying, in particular, is illegal in half of the United States, and many schools have their own policies.
- Privacy settings and account security. If using social media in lessons, teachers should go through the privacy settings with their students so they better understand who sees their posts and private information. Review the dangers of sharing personal information online and stress the importance of a strong password.
- Research techniques. Teachers can cover how to search social media sites effectively to find relevant information. Lessons should also cover how to verify information and promote critical thinking.
- Identifying scams. Review the red flags that point to suspicious behavior, including scams and online predators. Discuss the importance of never clicking on suspicious or unsolicited links or downloading unknown attachments.
Addressing the Digital Divide
To foster an inclusive and equitable learning environment, teachers need to address the digital divide. Before social media is incorporated into lessons, teachers should survey students and their families to understand their access to technology and the internet. Consider conducting these questions in private, as students may not always be forthcoming about the barriers they face at home.
Where possible, teachers should encourage students to use computer labs, libraries, and other media centers that provide free access to the internet and computers. If a student lacks access to the internet at home, time should be scheduled for them in the computer lab. Teachers can also advocate for the expansion of IT programs for students who could benefit.
For students who lack reliable internet access, educators can provide alternative methods, including printed materials, offline assignments, or USB drives with downloadable content.
As a result of these barriers, teachers will often need to review their social media lesson plans and strategies every year.
Whether you prefer Reddit, Facebook, TikTok, or another platform, most of us use social media every day. In the classroom, social media can provide a unique blend of ongoing engagement and communication. Students can use social media to advance their education, and teachers who incorporate it into their lessons can also use the opportunity to teach about digital literacy, privacy, and safety.
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