Love it or hate it, social media is here to stay, but the big question is, how can it be used effectively in the classroom?

There is a stigma around social media as a time waster, and there is a fear that using social media in class will just lead to more time wasting in class. Which is fair, and will no doubt be an ongoing debate for years to come. For now, though, if social media is to be part of your classroom then how can we do it?

Platforms

There are multiple platforms for social media, the big ones of course; Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and various blogging platforms. There are of course platforms like Reddit, Tumblr, and 4Chan, but these are more for connecting with people over specific interests and hobbies not lending itself as well to classroom work. All are free, all are user friendly, and all allow people to connect across the internet.

The majority of the time, students usually already have an account with one, or multiple platforms. However, some international students (as I have found) do not have access to Facebook (in China), so it is worthwhile to have brief tutorials about how to set up an account with these.

Safety

Cyberbullying is now part of curriculum, but often students don’t understand just how powerful social media can be. It’s easy to tell them that once you put something out there it’s impossible to take back. Even if the post has been deleted or removed it to late damage done. Or how a single stupid tweet can ruin your life.

A great example of this, and a worthwhile one to use in your class is the story of Justine Sacco, this article about her in the NY Times is fantastic, ‘How One Stupid Tweet Blew up Justine Sacco’s Life’ (I’m including the link below). Famous for her racist, insensitive tweet that she made before taking a flight to Cape Town, and by the time she landed her life was ruined. It’s a great look into how in a heartbeat your whole life can change.

More examples are found in the sports world, as a growing trend of young athletes are having to apologize for tweets they made as teenagers, potentially ruining their chances of a professional sports career.

In a more reasonable relatable example for students, Vicki Davis (2014) points out in her article that college admissions offices now use hired ‘stalkers’ to vet potential scholarship recipients before offering them anything. Not to mention many companies now use similar tactics before hiring any new employees.

Sadly, there is no end to the number of stories you can find about people who in a single lapse of judgment where social media is concerned, damaged their reputation forever. This is an excellent teaching moment, and a real life example to help students to understand.

So How?

With all the potential consequences why would we want to use it? Because as Davis says, “Social media is here,” (2014). Social media allows people to connect like never before. Students can connect with teachers, teachers can connect with other teachers, and parents can connect with the classroom. One of the most popular trends is to have a professional Twitter for your classroom, works great for quick posts and updates for parents to see what students are up to, and or help to promote your institution.

Students can connect over special projects to other classrooms through Facebook groups, and just as celebrities have social media presence, so do big names in science, literature, and art. Students can follow any number of interesting things through social media, and as it is relatively short bursts of information, they connect with it so much better.

Students can even create stories using Twitter, or use multiple platforms to create a world, or find a project that speaks to them. Social media also allows them to create a media presence that can serve them later in life if they use it properly and effectively.

It is impossible to not use social media, ignoring it is just silly, students are going to use it, teachers use it outside the class, it’s pointless to try and pretend it isn’t happening. “It's just another resource and doesn't have to be a distraction from learning objectives. Social media is another tool that you can use to make your classroom more engaging, relevant and culturally diverse,” (Davis, 2014).

Sources

Davis, V. (2014, February 27). A Guidebook for Social Media in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/guidebook-social-media-in-classroom-vicki-davis

Ronson, J. (2015, February 12). How One Stupid Tweet Blew Up Justine Saccos Life. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magazine/how-one-stupid-tweet-ruined-justine-saccos-life.html?_r=0

(2018, April 26). NFL prospect Josh Allen apologizes for racist tweets. Retrieved from https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/football/nfl-prospect-josh-allen-apologizes-for-racist-tweets/wcm/8e398567-328d-43bd-85ff-43c51fb175ea