Social media sites can be used to not only teach students who are already proficient with the tools but also, to advance a teacher’s professional development. When faculty require students to utilize social media, it can encourage them to express or discuss their thoughts. There are many different accessible platforms, for faculty to use in a number of exciting ways. 

It comes as no surprise that today’s college students are surrounded by and engrossed in social media. Faculties can make use of social media platforms in their courses for many different purposes. These purposes can include raising student interest in learning, improving teacher-student interactions, and extending learning communities outside of the classroom. 

Social Media Platforms and Ways to Use Them Within a Course 

• The use of a Facebook page to broadcast updates and alerts: Encourage students to like the class’s Facebook page so that the teacher may use it to post class updates, distribute homework, and promote conversation. 
• The use of Twitter as a class message board: Teachers can publish words of encouragement, provide links to pertinent resources and materials, and post alerts for assignment and assessment deadlines (West, 2021). Additionally, teachers can start Twitter chats and discussions centered on a chosen hashtag.   
• The use of blog posts as essays: Another method for integrating social media and learning is to have students write essays or other short forms of writing on their personal blogs. 
• Faculty can use social media to create virtual communities for practice and to have students engage with each other, with the subject, and with their teacher in a digital setting. These communities are most conducive for online and hybrid courses where face-to-face interaction is constrained or absent. 
• The use of YouTube to provide students with an opportunity to create their own media and personal advertisement.  

Moran, Seaman, and Tinti-Kane (2011) conducted a survey on the adoption of social media within the college classroom and found that: 

……20% of professors have given students the task of posting or commenting on social media sites (p. 3), while more than 40% of instructors have mandated that students read or view social media as part of a course assignment (p. 3). With 80% of staff members reporting some use of online video in the classroom, since it is by far the most popular social media platform shared in class, posted outside of class, or given to students to view (p. 3). 

Faculty Considerations When Using Social Media in a Course 

• Becoming proficient in the use of social media and new computer programs before incorporating them into their classrooms. 
• Considering how social media will promote participation and improve learning outcomes when determining whether to use it for a class assignment. 
• Being cautious of the effects of letting students publish content on outside websites (those not provided or hosted by your institution). Keep this checklist close as you when you plan your class activity because FERPA and Copyright Compliance overlap with social media usage within the classroom. 
• Preparing your response in advance if a student expresses discomfort sharing their information with third-party services or other social media users.  
• Making social media optional and providing a substitute for students who are hesitant to use it (Chen & Bryer, 2012). Social media is a supplemental tool, but it shouldn’t get in the way of teaching.

Reaching a larger audience, inspiring students, and enhancing openness in communication (both internal and external), assessment, and evaluation can all be considered while using social media. 

 References:  

Chen, B. & Bryer, T. (2012). Investigating instructional strategies for using social media in formal and informal learning. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 13(1):87-104. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v13i1.1027

Focus Faculty. (2020, December 7). Using social media to retain and connect with students in the shift to online education.  Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/online-student-engagement/using-social-media-to-retain-and-connect-with-students-in-the-shift-to-online-education/   

Hall, A. A., Delello, J. A., & McWhorter, R. R. (2017). Using Facebook to supplement instruction in online and hybrid courses. International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 22(1), 87-104. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijil.2017.085250 

Kampus Production. (2020). Black couple doing presentation for studies in classroom [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-couple-doing-presentation-for-studies-in-classroom-5940845/ 

Moran, M., Seaman, J., & Tinti-Kane, H. (2011). Teaching, learning, and sharing: How today’s higher education faculty use social media. Babson Survey Research Group. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED535130 

Piacquadio, A. (2020). Student browsing smartphone at table with books [Photograph]. Pexels.  https://www.pexels.com/photo/student-browsing-smartphone-at-table-with-books-3769982/ 

Richardson, M. E. (2020). Social Media in the classroom. The new normal for university education after COVID. International Dialogues on Education Journal, 7(1/2), 14–18. https://doi.org/10.53308/ide.v7i1/2.19 

Samuels-Peretz, D., Dvorkin Camiel, L., Teeley, K., & Banerjee, G. (2016). Digitally inspired thinking: Can social media lead to deep learning in higher education? College Teaching, 32–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2016.1225663 

West, C. (2021, November 11). 12 ways to use social media for education. Sprout Social.  https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-for-education/  

 

Suvekshya Adhikari is a Graduate Assistant at the Online and Distance Learning department at Saint Cloud State University. She is a Master of Science in Information Assurance (MSIA) student at SCSU. Suvekshya spends her leisure time painting and cooking for her friends.