Social Media

Social Media

Description

Social media refers to interaction among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks. In a learning environment, social media places learners in a broader context in which to understand the course material and their discipline as a whole.

Purpose

  • Understand how to use social media platforms for academic and professional purposes (beyond casual/personal use).
  • Foster collaborative learning experiences in and outside the classroom.
  • Build ongoing community and network with peers and mentors.
  • Provide a guided opportunity for learners to create and manage their digital identity.

Procedure

  1. Decide the purpose for incorporporating social media into the curriculum (ie- as a backchannel, collaboration tool, resource collector/organizer, as part of a project assignment, and/or as a communication tool).
  2. Select a platform based on the desired features. If uncertain, get advice from campus academic technologies support group.
  3. Different platforms will have different set-up requirements. Follow whatever process makes sense for selected platform (for example – a class group in Facebook, or a class-specific hashtag for Twitter, etc.)
  4. Stay connected. Social media is most effective with ongoing interaction/communication.

Considerations

  • Requires active participation to be effective – not a passive one-and-done implementation.
  • Choosing an appropriate platform can be confusing for social media novices.
  • Experience does not equate to expertise—learners often require guidance in developing good digital citizenship.

 

Resources

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