Social Media in the Classroom

Social media is well known by just about everyone. Even if they don’t use it much themselves, most people have at least heard of sites such as Facebook and YouTube. With the popularity of social media, it is a wasted opportunity not to find a way to use it in a classroom. There are many ways to use it.

I have seen teachers use it as sort of a clue hunt. They tweet out or post on the class Facebook page a clue. The students have to try and guess what the clue is about, posting or tweeting their answers. Another way I have seen it used is as a story starter. The teacher starts a story in an initial post, then the students respond with part of the story that they make up. They usually take so many twists and turns that you never know what will come next.

But even though it can be used in a classroom effectively, there are some dangers to be aware of. The first one is the safety of the students. “But the challenge for educators who want to incorporate social media into the classroom is to identify strategies and teaching approaches that engage and motivate technology-driven students while keeping them safe” (Loizzo & Ertmer, 2014). Keeping the students engaged while keeping them safe is hard. The teacher must be constantly vigilant, especially with the younger grades.

Another danger is the risk of isolation. A student can be surrounded by his or her peers and still feel totally alone. Community in a classroom is vital. “There’s power in a community of learners” (Schoenbart, 2016). Beware of cyber bullying and students being left out of the online community.

Churches can use social media as well. Most churches have a Facebook page and a Twitter account. Those are both really good ways to announce upcoming events and invite people to attend. But that’s not the only way a church can use social media. Posting videos and audio of sermons has the potential of reaching millions online. Engaging with other people from the area on local Facebook pages is a good way to break the barrier between church goers and non church goers. And tweeting Biblical truths regarding current events can be a good witness.

FUN WAYS TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE CLASSROOM. (2016). Tech & Learning,36(9), 10. Retrieved

from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/1788522103?accountid=12085

Loizzo, J., & Ertmer, P. A. (2014). 10 tips for implementing social media in the classroom.

Learning & Leading with Technology, 41(6), 32+. Retrieved from http://p2048-ezproxy.liberty.edu.ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&u=vic_liberty&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA360473326&sid=summon&asid=f03b0a945dd1bdbe3cd41d512953c20d