Educational Applications of Social Media

Why technology in the classroom? Should instructors integrate technology into their teaching? If they do, what happens if something goes wrong?

Yes, Instructors should integrate social media and technology into their teaching. As we all know, social media has now become an integral part of our society. We engage ourselves by different social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Linked In, Whatsapp. Teachers can use these applications by conveying messages or productively using these platforms to enhance students’ learning. Slowly introducing social media will help students view its use as a tool that can benefit them both socially and academically now and in the future. Teachers need to be aware of and know the signs of potential threats, such as cyberbullying. Without proper balance, its use can negatively affect the social skills that many children lack already. Another pitfall is that when asking students to bring in their devices from home, the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ are exposed and displayed in the classroom. Despite these drawbacks, introducing social media in the classroom can offer fascinating learning opportunities when implemented properly.