Thing #18 – Explore Social Networking

At first glance, it is difficult for me to consider social networks like Facebook and Twitter as viable in the classroom.   I always have associated them with social activity rather than as instructional opportunities.  However, I researched further and discovered that these apps can be very effective teaching tools.  Why am I not surprised?  The point of education is to make learning relative to students who eat, breathe, and sleep technology.  They all  connect with social networking, so why not facebook and tweet in the classroom?   Both of these tools can encourage student engagement and discussion about course material and class projects, which would then optimize learning both in and out of the classroom.  This method reminds me of the online discussion forums that I have used with internet classes.  The online discussion is always part of the final grade, and the instructor sets up the guidelines and introduces discussion topics.  The same could be done with Facebook and Twitter being the facilitators for discussion.  

Teachers can also set up Facebook accounts tailored to classroom topics in order to quickly disseminate information and also to engage students in the lesson.  Tweets can be used for the same purpose.   They are just quick bursts of information but can challenge students to be short and to the point – only 140 characters allowed per tweet.   Another good instructional way to use this tool would be that students could follow any of their teachers. That would be an effective way to keep students informed about upcoming assignments and lesson material. 

I probably like Facebook better than Twitter just because I already have a Facebook account and am more familiar with the set-up.  I have only tweeted a couple of times, and I was more interested in figuring out how to say something in an abbreviated form than in the content of my message.  In other words, I got distracted.   The only real thing that I dislike about either one is my mental block about viewing them both as social outlets; but taking that into consideration, what a great way to trick students into learning when they are “socializing!”   All in all, I have to say that I prefer Facebook – both personally and from an educational perspective  since it allows for more in-depth commentary and dialogue.