Social Media-A Communication Tool For Learning

Over the recent past, social media has truly gained a lot of popularity more specially amongst the youth who have used it to influence, direct, instruct, command, control, coordinate, recreate, recognize fellow peers in implementing, participating and organizing some activity that gives them social gratification. This popularity of social media has now gone beyond to the extent of being used as a learning resource. To communicate effectively in the social media world means understanding the new rules of the game e.g., learners want to: (i) have a say; (ii) have meaningful dialogue; (iii) be engaged and involved in the process; (iv) interact with others; (v) be listened to; (vi) communication to be genuine and relevant; (vii) connect with others engaged in similar activities etc.

The potentials of social media go to change the traditional classroom in the following ways:

(i)           it changes how teachers and students communicate

(ii)          it enhances peer collaboration

(iii)         it helps students follow current events

(iv)         it teaches the learners appropriate online behavior

(v)          it keeps their (learners) minds working, even during leisure time

Integrating social media in the class isn’t just a walk over. However, I will do the following to ensure integration:

(i)           improve communication by allowing students to easily message teachers and other students with questions.

(ii)          make a Facebook page for my class where i can schedule events, post notes and remind students of assignments due dates.

(iii)         post supplementary materials like links to articles and videos so students can continue learning even when class is over.

(iv)         create a feed for my classroom so that I can tweet about upcoming assignments, events and class news.

(v)          connect with other classroom, teachers and parents to increase communication and build community.

(vi)         follow up with other educator’s tweets to keep up with latest teaching trends, get ideas and support one another.

(vii)        record my lessons and post on YouTube so students can review them whenever they want.

Ciao!