Using Social Media in the Classroom
Guidelines and Reccomendations
1. Assess the Learning Environment
Determine which social media tool will work best for your students. Ask yourself the following questions:
a. What age are my students?
b. What level of exposure do my students have with social media outside of school?
c. What cultural barriers might my students have to social media?
2. Research Social Media Platforms
There are many social media options, and they each have their advantages and disadvantages. It is important for you to be familiar with each one before implementing them into your classroom. Some options available are Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, and Pinterest.
3. Create a Social Media Policy
You will need to create guidelines that will set boundaries for student's safety when using social media tools. It is important to outline best practices that will maximize learning potential but also protect students as the classroom expands to include broader influences.
4. Educate Students, Parents, and School Community about Social Media
Not everyone feels comfortable about using social media, especially parents of young children. It is very important for faculty and parents to be kept informed about the social media integration. This will greatly help you gain their support and also keep any misunderstandings about the use of social media to a minimum.
5. Evaluate Progress Regularly
You should reevaluate whether the chosen social media meets the needs of the classroom as well as review the social media policy, making sure it is effective. You should also seek feedback from not only the student but also the parents. It is important to continue to strengthen communication to in order to ensure that the use of social media is more educational.
Link to Source
"5 STEPS TO IMPLEMENTING SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE CLASSROOM" by Erika Phyall