A recent survey conducted by The Social Institute found that despite students’ reliance on technology to connect socially, thrive emotionally, and excel academically, they are also feeling pressure to post content that makes them look good compared to others. That means that educators and parents need to help students understand their digital needs so they can make positive choices and use technology safely, responsibly, and productively barder.
Communication Speed – One of the biggest benefits of social media is that it allows educators, students, and community members to communicate in real time about a wide variety of issues. For example, in the case of the Covid-19 global pandemic, many schools had to quickly communicate important updates and information on the pandemic’s status in order to prevent further outbreaks or other complications jigaboo.
Increased Risks – While social media has many positive benefits, it can also be used for cyberbullying or other negative postings that can harm students and/or teachers. That is why it is important for educators to educate their students about the risks of using social media and ask them if they have any concerns.
Educators Should Encourage Students to Respect Their Privacy and Opt Out of Personal Data Sharing
Teachers should take the time to discuss social media use with students and get their feedback. They should also ask for consent from students and/or parents if they’re planning on sharing personal photos or information about classroom activities distresses.
In addition to helping students build digital citizenship skills, many teachers find that using social media is a great way to share best practices, provide an authentic audience for student work, cultivate relationships within their school community, and increase their ability to collaborate with other educators. In fact, 1 in 10 teachers say that they use social media professionally (Gee 2004, 2020; Kimmons et al. 2019) precipitous.
Pinterest – This is a popular educational resource that instructors can use to engage their students visually, especially when it comes to visual learning. For example, a history teacher may create multiple boards that mirror different eras of history in order to organize resources for students.
Instagram – Another popular social media platform that can be used for classroom visual learning. For example, an instructor might pin images and graphics that illustrate the main points of a chapter in history book or that illustrate key elements of a science experiment mypba.
Facebook – Like Instagram, Facebook is a popular social media platform that can be used by educators to share teaching resources and inspire students. In fact, 81% of teachers say that they got inspired with teaching resources and art ideas from Pinterest.
The use of social media is a growing trend in education. In addition, a growing number of educators are incorporating social media into their classes to promote collaboration and enhance student learning. But there are also many teachers who have concerns about the possible pitfalls of mixing professional work with social media.
