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Active use of social media enhances students’ achievements. Social media can be used in different ways. Let’s consider the main options.
Social media as an interactive textbook
A subject-based group on social media can serve as an additional textbook. Working in it is easy and simple: students can share completed assignments and write comments in the discussions. The posts shared in the feed will serve as textbook pages, and hashtags can be used for navigation. This way, when preparing for a test, students can easily find all the materials they are interested in. To facilitate material search, multiple hashtags can be used. For example, #7thgrade, #lithosphere, #video, #mustknow. It is better to share materials with a specific frequency, i.e., indicate the timing of posts. This way, posts will regularly appear in students’ newsfeeds, significantly increasing the likelihood of them being viewed.
Exam preparation on Instagram
If your subject involves a lot of visual material, Instagram is the best social media for you. For example, recently, exams have included tasks where students need to identify a building, a person, a monument, or other structures based on a photo. Many students found it challenging. Therefore, you should use the most “visual” social media. For instance, you can post a photo of a historical figure or monument and write a short assignment in the post. The conditions are simple: the first five students who answer correctly will receive an A grade in their record books. To receive a grade, students need to send a direct message.
Facebook as an educational platform
The introduction of new features in social media allows for even broader use. For example, the “articles” feature in the social network Facebook, one of the largest global social media, goes further. Some educational groups have the ability to add lessons and, importantly, connect them in a specific sequence. It’s practically an online course within the social media. Now there’s no need to go to learning platforms to study; you just need to enter the relevant community.
Fun with Snapchat and TikTok
The distinctive feature of this social media is that users primarily use video and photo formats. Therefore, teachers can use Snapchat or TikTok to communicate homework assignments and upcoming tests, share short videos with explanations, propose discussion questions in advance, maintain contact with students, add variety with funny filters and stickers, and finally, measure reactions.
YouTube as a source of materials
Undoubtedly, YouTube cannot be ignored, as it has firmly established itself among students. Working with YouTube is challenging due to its video-oriented nature. It is easier to use it as a source of educational materials, which can then be gathered together in another social media. For example, a nice collection of different educational videos can be found on our project website in dynamic library section. Follow the link http://www.subscribed-project.eu/dynamic-library/
To organize work with students on social media, you need to choose the appropriate platform. Therefore, you should select one of these social media. Then decide how the work will proceed: you can simply answer students’ questions in messages, share assignments or useful resources in a group or general dialogue. Alternatively, you can go further and organize a game, a contest for the smartest student with prize giveaways, a text-based role-playing game, distribute bonuses for activity on social networks, and make the learning process more gamified and engaging. Additionally, you can organise voting on various events.
You can start working with social media today. Learn how on https://www.subscribed-project.eu/creatorkit/ Subscribed e-learning module gives teachers the knowledge and skills to create their own content and support their learners with adapted teaching methods. In practice, it guides teachers in a step-by-step approach to develop the digital skills needed for participation and content creation on social networks, with the aim of allowing them to create useful pedagogical content.