Why Educators Must Use Social Media In The Classroom

With more and more young people talking to social media to express their opinions in a public platform, it's about time that educators realise its value in making learning more engaging and effective. Growing numbers of teachers are now increasingly using popular online websites to better connect with their students. Social media is now being used in classrooms across the globe to encourage learning, instead of being considered as a distraction.

Here we are going to share 6 excellent ways for you to use social media and improve your classroom-

Understand what students are actually thinking

Communicating online is usually very different from the way we do it in person. Those learners who are reserved and shy in the classroom often communicate and contribute openly through special media. You can effectively use Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus to encourage learners to engage with one another and ask questions online. This result in prompt replies, opinions and discussions that will add to the learning experience.

Easy access to real-time materials

As social media enables us to share information directly with one another, you will get instant access to important news and relevant resources. Facebook and Twitter are undoubtedly a great source for accessing viral news which you can then share with your students. You can also assign daily tasks to individual students for monitoring news for relevant stories and topics.

Connect your classroom with others

Earlier enabling our students to connect with relevant experts and guest speakers required us to send either a handwritten letter or an email request. Then we needed to arrange for a speaker phone in the classroom to conduct the phone conference. But all that has changed thanks to social media. Now almost all academicians, experts in various fields, scientists, authors and celebrities have some public social media account which enables their followers to communicate with them directly. You can also use Skype in your classroom and invite guest speakers for video conferencing.

Expand your reach

One of the greatest benefits of social media is that it allows teachers to effectively communicate with their peers in different parts of the world. If you are using Twitter, then you may encourage your students to follow specific hashtags and connect with other students on a global level. You can also follow different accounts of publications and teachers from various nations.

Interact with families

Social media can help you to easily connect with the parents of students. You can tag them in relevant posts and keep them updated about the class. Most parents prefer to get continuous updates regarding what their kids are learning.

Encourage students to learn outside class

Using social media in homework and assignments can help teachers to make students more engaged and involved in lessons not only in the classroom, but even after they leave it. You can encourage your learners to establish Pinterest boards to depict the interests of leading characters in a particular novel. They can even gather information for mathematical conversion practice with the help of metric measurements.

How else do you think social media can help your classroom? Feel free to add to the discussion by sharing your ideas below.

9 Universal Skills That Your Students Must Learn

Our society is progressing at an exciting pace thanks to continuous advancements in technology and the growth of business worldwide. To keep pace with this incessantly developing world, our young learners need to acquire various skills and knowledge to keep ourselves updated. 

Here you will find a list of some universal skills which every young individual must know about- 

How To Become A Self-Directed Learner 

 

Students must know how to find and utilise resources, both in a classroom setting and online, to learn and develop their interests. Self-directed Learning helps in acquiring various skills so that our students can confidently respond to the challenges and changes in life. 

How To Search Online Effectively

 

As the internet offers a sea of information and hosts unlimited volumes of useful content, it is imperative that young learners know how to search the web in an effective way so that they can find quality and appropriate sources for their schoolwork. 

How To Improve Your Personal Learning Network (PLN)

 

Personal Learning Networks refers to network of individuals and resources which can help you learn and develop. Students need to create a global personal learning network as it will help them to learn about various topics and understand how to develop and utilise knowledge networks. 

How To Use Social Media And Manage Digital Footprint 

 

Social media can be a great place for teen students. However, they need to be cautious about potential dangers and threats which they need to avoid. They should also know about what they should and should not post on sites like Facebook, Instagram or YouTube as it might affect their academic and professional future. 

How To Assess Websites For Credibility

 

The information has loads of reliable data and information, but it also contains even more sources of inaccurate and misleading information. Hence students must learn how to evaluate the quality of resources available online. 

How To Communicate Orally Online And Face-To-Face 

 

Educators need to teach young students how to develop oral communication skills whether it is in-person or online. Oral communication instruction can help our students to verbally express themselves in an effective manner. They should also learn how to use the available digital tools like Skype, Facetime and Google Handouts to communicate with a wider group of people. 

How To Engage In Arts

 

Arts education like painting, drawing, theatre, sculpture or music, both in practice and theory, is an essential part of a comprehensive curriculum. It not only empowers students to perform better in other academic subjects and score high on critical thinking tests, but it also makes teachers happier. 

How To Identify And Solve Problems 

 

Problem-solving is one of the most essential skills of the 21st Century and it will enable young students to learn and understand various subjects, including maths, better. As the business world is changing, our students must equip themselves with problem-solving skills to build their future careers. 

How To Learn And Utilise New Technologies

 

Technology has become an integral part of our society and strongly influences different aspects of our lives from education, business to our daily lives. Hence students need to develop their understanding of computers and use them better as resource tools for learning. It is also important that we teach our students how to effectively utilise emerging technologies as well. 

Apart from these, there are many other skills that the young students must learn to get better not only in their education but also to perform effectively at the workplace. 

What other skills do you think should be added to the list? Feel free to share your ideas with us by commenting below.

Is Technology in Today’s Classroom Good for Students?

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Technology is increasingly becoming more important for the growth and expansion of education on a global scale. You simply cannot deny the role modern technology plays in our daily lives. It has dramatically modified every aspect of our lives. Then why should education be an exception?

There are many who are still apprehensive about the use of advanced technology in education. But the benefits that technology offers to our students and teachers are far too great than we could previously imagine.

EdTech- Revolutionising Education

Educational Technology or EdTech, as some like to call, is revolutionising our classrooms and enhancing the learning experience for our students, especially for those with special needs. Nowadays children and young adults are highly comfortable with the use of various technological tools. Does your child get glued to his video games right after school? Does your teen spend a lot of time on Facebook? If yes, then you know what I mean.

With the introduction of advanced smartphones and tablets, students can now easily access unlimited information just by swiping their fingertips. It not only helps them to learn better, but makes them more proactive. Increasing numbers of schools across the globe are now investing in the latest educational technology to make learning more engaging and effective. These high-tech academic tools can make the path of acquiring valuable knowledge much easier and more efficient, which will eventually result in developing essential professional skills.

If you are still unconvinced about the need for technology in education, then let us talk about the advantages it offers. Let’s have a look-

Easy Access to Information and Knowledge

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The internet allows our students to access unlimited and relevant information easily. As text books offer limited knowledge, your child can learn a lot more about specific topic and subjects through the internet. Apart from this, there are numerous online communicating programmes that can enable your children to improve their reading, writing, language and research skills. Students can also use various online academic exercises and games that will enhance their learning experience and increase student participation.

Web-based and other technological tools can help students to understand their own strengths and weaknesses as well as their learning progress. These can also improve hand/eye coordination and memory as well. Moreover, advanced tools can further help higher education students in conducting research, experiments and other assignments.

Creating a Globally Connected Classroom 

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Technology has enabled our students and teachers to connect with each other irrespective of where they are located. With online communicating tools like video chats, students can now learn from other students and teachers who are situated in different parts the world. This has resulted in developing a global classroom which is highly beneficial as knowledge sharing has become much easier and accessible. Moreover, with the popularity of online education, now your child can learn from renowned and respected teachers without even leaving your home.

Improving Employability and Future Career

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As the corporate world has become highly competitive, high school and college graduates must have adequate knowledge about technology related domains. As students get equipped with various high-tech skills from an early age due to the use of technology in classrooms, it helps them to improve their chances of getting employed and build a rewarding career in future.

Countering Challenges and Attaining Success

According to various studies, technologically inclined learning environments enable students to avert risks and overcome obstacles in their academic as well as professional lives. Hi-tech educational tools also help to improve their success rate.

To Make a Long Story Short

Technology has now become vital for most parts of our lives, homes and communities. Schools, teachers and students alike will undoubtedly benefit by using advanced technological tools in the classrooms. Technology is rapidly changing the way we teach and learn. As education has become more accessible with the help of online education, students from even remote parts of the world can now gain essential skills and knowledge which will increase their employability.

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