by Facebook is the poster child for social media, but it also means that it also gets a bad rep for all social media platforms.
While many people lament social media as the downfall of a generation, Facebook is more than just a distraction and can be used in many beneficial ways, especially in the classroom.
So how can Facebook be used in a school?
Support
The most obvious way to utilise Facebook is to create a class group.
This group will be able to communicate with each other outside of the classroom and ask for assistance with homework or assignments that they might be struggling with.
Research
Facebook allows students to conduct first-hand research on certain topics, e.g a project about your family tree would require information from relatives who could be contacted via Facebook should there be questions.
Ask For Information
Students can run polls and ask their followers questions on certain topics such and use the answers they receive as part of the project. Not only can they get information, they can also pose follow-up questions thanks to the live nature of Facebook.
Resources
If you are working through a particular topic in class and do not have access to the required resources, you can turn to Facebook and reach out to organisations or people who might be able to assist.
Explore
Thanks to the inclusion of 360 videos on Facebook, you can now do “virtual tours” of locations that your class might not be able to attend in real life.
Organisations such as NASA post updates of events such as Juno reaching Jupiter as well as links to more information which could be useful.
Global collaboration
Students can work with students from across the world to collaborate on projects and learn about their different cultures. This not only helps bring authenticity to their projects but also builds relations between different schools and promotes a culture of understanding and tolerance.
School updates
Facebook can be used to create posts about interesting things taking place at the school. This can be used as a foundation to get kids interested in media and creating content in various mediums including written and video content.
Document Class Trips
Class trips can be made more interactive and more social by utilising Facebook to document what is taking place when your class visits a location for educational purposes.
This not only promotes a sense of community with the kids but also allows parents to feel a part of what is taking place in their child’s education.
Career Guidance
Facebook can be used to connect students with professionals in a particular field that they might be interested in when leaving school.
This can help them learn more about the day to day requirements of a particular career and help them make informed decisions as well as give them a resource who can provide them with more information on the actual job requirements and subjects they’ll need to take in order to prepare for further studies in their chosen field.
Events Calendar
Events can be created on Facebook reminding your learners about a special occasion which will be taking place in class, this could be anything from a birthday to a dress up day or a project presentation day. Not only does this ensure that everyone is aware of any upcoming events, it also builds a sense of community and belonging for all the children in your class.
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