Social media was just that to me, media used for socializing. I did not anticipate the extensive use of social media especially within the field of education. YouTube was my go-to platform for educational videos that were used in my classroom. Although I have seen YouTube videos used on social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube to me was not really social media 🤯 because I did not explore the full features of the application. I was aware of all the negative effects social can have on individuals including bullying and some persons experiencing cybercrimes. As a result, I entered the Social Media and Student Engagement course with doubts about the possibility of students having a positive learning experience while using social media for educational purposes.
Ah Ha Moment
I believe my biggest learning curve occurred during two periods in this course. Engaging in the discussion forum and the in-class presentation provided me with great insight into the versatility of social media platforms. Most interesting were the experiences expressed by my colleagues about their use of social media at their educational institution. In my naivety, I thought using social media for teaching and learning would be risky due to the circulation of false information and the possibility of distractions. While I was still apprehensive about the use of social media in my classroom, my acceptance came when I realized I could create closed groups to engage with my students. These groups would ensure my students were interacting in a controlled social media environment. The discussion forums and class presentation brought clarity on the benefits of various social media platforms in education as a result I was now sold on the concept.
Social Media Safe or Not
Vlogging is a term I heard and read about, I also viewed some vlogs on my social media page, but I had no personal experience with this new concept. As an educator I have years of experience presenting to large groups of students however, I realized I was nervous, most likely camera shy, and definitely concerned about the comments I might receive about my video. Nevertheless, I decided this was an opportunity to participate in something new. I was expected to create a vlog that addressed responsible use, privacy, and security on social media platforms. Although I am usually very cautious about the content I post on social media, this exercise allowed me to gain further information to ensure my students also apply best practices while using social media platforms for educational purposes.
Best Practices for Social Media Use in Education
- Create closed class groups
- Use privacy settings
- Implement online etiquette guideline
- Use secure passwords
- Use multiple authentication methods
- Don't share private information
After realizing the safety measures that can be implemented to promote safety during social media use in education, my excitement to wholistically use social media platforms for teaching and learning increased.
The Way Forward
Navigating this course has been a great learning experience for me as I was able to allay my fears of using social media in my classroom. Also, I learned new skills in the use of social media platforms and gained more confidence by being in front of the camera through my vlogging experience. While I do not consider myself to be an expert in the use of social media for educational purposes, I believe I gained a wealth of knowledge that will guide me to engage in the effective use of social media platforms in my classroom.
