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Teaching Tool: Social Media

 


The world of teaching has changed, as it has throughout the years. Today’s students have access to so much more information (rather true or not) than ever before. Social media has come to dominate the technology scene, reaching millions of users a year. Children as young as toddlers have access to some form of social media, whether it is watching kid videos on YouTube or even platforms that are made for children like Seesaw, Zigazoo, or Azoomee. Lawrence states, “People continue to find ways to use social media to organize peaceful protests, share useful information instead of misinformation, build personal and romantic relationships, launch careers, and connect with fans, audiences, and consumers.” (p. 49). No matter your view of social media, it is here to stay and as teachers we should help guide students to use it safely and effectively. 

Teachers today have to learn to harness their students’ ability and excitement in social media to reach all learners. Social media can be a tool for teachers to use to promote collaboration and sharing of ideas within their classrooms. It helps engage students in their  lessons and activities, while keeping their interest better than a textbook ever could. In a study to see the role of social media in a classroom, Bermudez et al. (2024) discovered, “comments such as the one of some students that think that the use of social media in the classroom promotes the value of sharing and collaboration.” (p. 5775-5776) Students themselves are realizing the benefit of shared collaboration in a classroom. 

Bermudez et al. (2024) also stated, “Teachers think that aspects such as ease of use, innovation, improvement of educational quality, motivation for students to learn, and saving time and space are among the benefits when using social media.” (p. 5776). Teachers are seeing that providing opportunities for social media in the classroom is motivating students to learn the material in a fun and engaging way. According to Lawrence (2022), “Parts of social media are completely new and shape the way we communicate with one another, as well as the way that information finds us.” (p. 2). 

What are some resources for using social media in the classroom? As always, many students are very comfortable with YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc. Below, though, I will delve into some lesser known platforms for bringing social media into your classroom. '


Seesaw

Seesaw has been around in classrooms for a few years, with teachers using this platform to communicate with parents in real time. Many don’t realize that you can also use Seesaw for students to complete activities and assignments, and post to other classmates’ accounts. This allows for collaboration among their peers and helps students become acquainted with social media in a controlled setting. Here are some examples of how I use Seesaw in my own classroom. Students are able to complete activities and assignments where parents can see and respond to their work. I am also able to post videos of students and parents and students can comment on the post.


Zigazoo

Zigazoo is an app that mimics many of the big social media platforms, but in a safer kid-friendly way. Students can use the platform to post pictures, draw, write, and comment on other students' work. This is a great way for students to ease into social media with a goal of collaboration and creativity. 

Video courtesy of Common Sense Education, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJW40p_rqVM

Azoomee

Azoomee is a platform that is geared specifically for the students. It allows students to share ideas, collaborate on school projects, learn about other aspects of the world, and to have fun doing it! Parents must sign their students up for the platform which keeps students from signing on without parental consent. Teachers and parents can feel comfortable utilizing the platform for collaboration and group projects.  

Video courtesy of Azoomee, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-Sxi37tVmw

While there are many advantages in social media, it is important to point out that teachers must be vigilant in promoting cyber safety for students, and to impart the concept of disinformation on the internet. It is always a good idea for teachers to conduct a few lessons on internet safety before even introducing a social media platform to students. Disinformation is everywhere and students need to learn to navigate and wade through what is real and what is not. 

Despite the negativity surrounding social media, teachers can actually use these platforms to help engage and motivate students in a structured and safe environment. The use of social media is a controversial one, but if teachers are vigilant about practicing cyber safety, it can be a wonderful teaching tool in the classroom. 


References

Azoomee. (2021, Feb 18). Start your learning adventure with azoomee [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-Sxi37tVmw

Bermudez, F., De Los Reyes, M., Mican, E., Morales, M., & Sanchez, P. (2024). Design of a strategy for the use of social media as an educational tool in secondary school. Ciencia Latina Educacion 8(3). (p. 5766-5784). https://ciencialatina.org/index.php/cienciala/article/view/11776/17158

Common Sense Education. (2021, June 26). Zigazoo is like tik-tok but with less dancing and more learning [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJW40p_rqVM

     Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web. Broadview Press.

Comments

  1. Gia ShoresJuly 24, 2024 at 2:32 PM

    Laura,

    To be honest, I was not familiar with some of the social media platforms you shared. In my mind, I have unintentionally related the term “social media” directly with Facebook. It has been more recently that I have started to open my mind more about that. Really, social media is so much more, and “different demographics use different social media platforms for different reasons” (Lawrence, 2022, p. 47). Though there are certain platforms that seem more familiar to me, I would like to explore more platforms like Zigazoo and Azoomee after seeing what you shared about them. Also, I like how you talk about the importance of collaboration in the classroom. This is true for teachers and students alike! There is something I found that resonated with me and I think it applies here too. Specifically, according to Bal (2021) “each teacher expects to see a competitive or collaborative atmosphere, which has been created by methods and techniques instrumented in the classroom and encourages learners to complete their tasks by performing their best and reflecting their creativeness” (p. 595). I am starting to see more how beneficial social media platforms can be for collaboration and it is exciting to think of ways to use it in my classroom!

    References
    Bal, S. (2021). An investigation of the integration of blogs into EFL classes: Learners' views toward blogs and preferences for writing classes. Journal of Educational Technology & Online Learning, 4(4), 594-604. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1352279.pdf

    Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web. Ontario, Canada: Broadview Press.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mary Claire ShingletonJuly 26, 2024 at 6:51 PM

    You just introduced me to several new social media platforms! Zigazoo sounds like something my students and my son would be interested in. As Lawrence (2022) highlights, the major platforms that we think of are Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (sec. 2.11), though the user bases and audience for these platforms are mainly adults. Having social media made specifically for school and student audiences is a deviation from the origins of social media, but play on the societal shift toward social media as a means to interact and learn. I do wonder what other platforms will be created to better meet student needs in the future!

    References:
    Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web. Broadview Press.

    ReplyDelete

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