Allegiance to the #Hashtag

Every time I read these articles on using social media in the classroom, all I can think is “damn I'm old”. I matriculated in 2010, from a school which rarely stepped outside traditional teaching methods – chalkboard and textbooks. That being said, there were many opportunities to explore and experiment with social media during my school life, both knowingly and unknowingly.

 A good example would be that of the Global Classroom Conference I had the privilege of attending in 2009. The networking and interaction with students globally is so invaluable an experience and one I certainly cherish. Times have certainly changed, where social media has not only become a prevalent but also relevant incorporation into our education and teaching methods.

In my own field (science), social media can be used quite creatively to facilitate learning. Science has always been seen as quite robust and structured in my opinion, but I don’t see why it can’t be fun at the same time. Both Provenzano (2015) and Davis (2014) make examples of how teachers around the world are using popular social media such as Instagram, Twitter and Blogging to their advantage.

Instagram for instance can be used in conjunction with specific topics or sections such as “The effect of pollution” or “Life and Living” which is slightly broader. Students will be given a hashtag to post pictures on instagram so that everybody is connected and able to see each others’ work. This is a great lesson because it also gives them the opportunity to really think about what they are hashtagging and how easy your information is accessible being part of an online network. It also means that students’ work and ideas can be shared in a fun but constructive way.

Another popular option would be that of blogging. Students are able to share their ideas and opinions and also engage and discuss with one another, just as I am doing now. If students are not allowed to (according to law) or it is possibly frowned upon in the university, the teacher can then share their inside opinion publicly on the topics covered in class. The teacher can then ask questions to students who are then required to answer them in the following lesson. This can be used as a deeper learning tool as students are required to evaluate the teachers opinion and then form their own opinion on the matter.

What makes social media a somewhat ‘darkhorse’ is all the negative hype concerning safety and security of the learners. The amount of spam and people prowling on naive children is not conducive to an effective learning environment, and doesn’t allow students to openly express themselves out of fear. Thus it is extremely important for teachers to find unique ways to mix students and social media while still having their safety as first priority.