Should Teachers Adopt Social Media?
Arguments for and against teachers adopting social media continue to be debated. But social media can provide a new dimension to learning in the classroom, with benefits that go far beyond that. In promoting shared learning and interaction via the social media platform, teachers adopting the more accessible approach that comes with a social media presence can actively encourage support for classrooms across the school spectrum, with some very positive results.
What About Professional Boundaries?
Maintaining a professional distance between teacher and student should not be seen as a major problem when considering social media. Most social networks allow for the creation of groups, or pages solely dedicated to a particular topic, and allows for easier and safer communication between teachers, students, and even parents.
Creating a group or page solely for interaction on school/education matters means that no ‘following’ or ‘friend requests’ need be made, and will keep things strictly within the necessary boundaries. In fact, this can often be useful training for students in how to adopt a professional persona of their own, and how to safeguard their privacy online in the process.
Here are five reasons why teachers should adopt social media:
1. Quicker Communication
Many parents can relate to stories of never having received letters from school that were handed out in paper form to students. Whilst some communications are private, certain announcements and information can more easily be made via social media; and will often be picked up and acted on more quickly as a result.
2. Make Homework More Interactive
Social media could enable teachers to set homework in a more engaging way that some students might feel they can relate to more easily than traditional methods. In setting certain homework tasks this way, students also have a platform to debate the task being set, which plays an important role in encouraging students to get to grips with homework in general.
3. Effective Sharing of Useful Resources
Some social media platforms offer boards or walls where links to useful resources, and other areas of interest can be shared between teachers and students. These are particularly useful when teachers have set lengthy projects that require a lot of research; and for highlighting useful articles and/or blog posts written by teachers and students from other schools and colleges.
Develop Students’ Thinking Skills
Social media interaction between teachers and students makes it possible for teachers to throw out some thought provoking add-ons in relation to particular homework being set, or projects that students are engaged in, which can help to encourage and develop good thinking skills amongst students.
5. Set-Up Online Classrooms
One of the main challenges that teachers face is not having enough time in which to teach a subject to its fullest; this often means that in subjects such as English, time constraints don’t allow for enough discussion of a book, play or piece of poetry. Teachers adopting social media could find that setting up online classrooms could be a powerful tool for expanding a particular subject, and lead to much better grades for students.
Teachers adopting social media can make a positive and progressive move towards a more rewarding learning experience for students. Embracing new ways of communicating and learning demonstrates that education doesn’t have to be stuck in old methods; and is capable of taking on a more modern approach that appeal to students at all levels and abilities.
About The Author:
Amy Harris is a writer for FinancialTraining.co.uk – which helps British and international students find the right financial courses in London and the UK. Amy is an American expat herself, and enjoys helping people with their careers and planning.
