Friends, followers, wall-posts, notes, blogs and messages– all familiar terms of social media websites and now, terms used in the classroom. More and more school teachers and professors are using social media as a way to communicate with their students. One website in particular that is being used in many college settings is called Ning.
Ning is a social platform for networking opportunities much like Facebook and Twitter but in schools it is primarily being used as a discussion forum and a way to communicate academic information between instructors and students. No longer is it sufficient for teachers to send periodic emails to their students regarding class assignments; e-mails are too much of a “one-way street.” Social media websites create a social “hub” for everything going on in a particular class.
Posts can be visible to all or just one person. Open discussions about topics can be easily accessible to all involved in a group or network. In fact, many instructors have been facilitating extra class discussions online because it gives more people the chance to participate outside of school hours. Shy students with plenty to contribute can prove their analytical skills by participating in online discussion forums. Some classes rely on social media websites because they are completely instructed online.
Here is a list of my favorite social media features that I use for schoolwork:
- Blog posts. Almost everything I need to know about what is happening in a class at a particular time can be found in blog posts. An entire syllabus may be posted here for my reference, and it’s something I won’t lose track of.
- Announcements. Anything a teacher may have forgotten to mention in class or maybe did mention but wants to reiterate might be posted in an “announcement.” Other sites that don’t have an “announcement” feature may have a similar feature for brief messages to be sent to everyone involved in the group or network (as explained in the very next bullet point.)
- Notes. These are usually used for reasons of brief mentioning, and sites that do not have an “announcement” feature may use a note as a substitute. In any case, it’s very useful and just another way to keep users in the know.
- Discussion forums. I like to see what other people have to say about an issue and I also don’t like limiting what I have to say. In a forum I’m able to take more time to gather my thoughts and opinions before I share them. I can be as brief or thorough as I want. With the time constraints of a class setting, one may not get as much of an opportunity to respond to a topic precisely the way they wish.
- Home page. As simple as it may sound, the home page is one of my favorite features. I can see everything that is going on at once. I know who has posted what and when it was posted, what news has been generated, if a new blog has been written or if anything has been added or changed to an assignment. It acts as a “student union” in the world of social media.
The future looks bright for social media sites
I can’t predict what exactly is in store for social media websites but one thing is certain– the future is looking bright. What do you think will come next in the relationship between social media and education? What advancements will be made in the way of the internet for education purposes? Will middle and high school students start using social media for school? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Adrienne is a Syracuse University student from Danbury, CT majoring in Writing and Rhetoric with a Leadership Communication minor. She is a big fan of impressionist art, ocean views and classic rock. She hopes to one day have her name in the credits of a hit film whether behind the scenes or in front of the camera.
