Skool blurs the line between education and networking, fostering community members through interactive discussions and collaborative projects. This learning experience is a stark contrast to the solitary journeys offered by traditional online platforms.
The platform offers a subscription model with no upfront costs and a modest 2.9% transaction fee, Skool has several features for educators. However, it may not be the best fit for those who prefer a more streamlined online community management platform.
Social Media and Education
The marriage of social media and education is a fascinating fusion that offers a unique blend of accessibility, real-time interaction, and community support. It’s no wonder that a growing number of educators are leveraging these tools to enhance their learning journey.
With its ability to connect students and teachers with peers from around the globe, social media has become a valuable resource for all types of educational institutions. Sprout’s social media management software helps schools with this by offering the flexibility to monitor, manage and share content across multiple accounts, which is ideal for a school where different departments have their own profiles.
Keele University, for example, uses chatbots built with Sprout to respond immediately to student queries about courses and bursaries. Check out their full story here. In addition, we’ve brought together some of the world’s leading visionaries – from Sir Ken Robinson to Jane Goodall and Martin Scorsese – to explore how they see social media and education colliding into the future. Watch their big ideas in our Social Education Series.
Social Media and Learning
A number of prominent education visionaries have been putting forward some big ideas on how social media can play an effective role in the field of learning. These ideas are often centered on how to transform our classrooms into learning communities that foster creativity and collaboration. Social media, with its built-in features for engagement, interaction and real-time communication, has inevitably emerged as one of the most important elements in these learning communities.
The revolutionary union of social media and education is reshaping the landscape of the education world. As a result, educators are increasingly flocking to social media platforms to collaborate and share their best practices in the fields of teaching and learning. It isn’t surprising that a recent survey revealed that over 60% of teachers leverage social media as a platform for their professional development. This is a great testament to how this unique ecosystem is helping to facilitate continuous learning.
The use of social media as a learning tool has many benefits, ranging from its ability to provide learners with an immersive environment to its accessibility and ease-of-use. With the influx of various stakeholders such as scholars, educators, educational enthusiasts, students and more, these online platforms help to bring diverse perspectives that are useful in enriching the overall learning experience.
These social platforms allow learners to interact with their peers and exchange opinions, ask doubts and get swift answers. They also offer them with the freedom to learn at their own pace and schedule – an aspect that helps to keep learners engaged throughout the process.
Furthermore, the interactive nature of these platforms allows learners to access a variety of resources, materials and course contents in textual, audio or video formats. This flexibility provides a more engaging way of imparting knowledge and allows students to explore subjects that interest them.
However, the use of social media as a tool for education is not without its challenges. It is vital for students to understand the potential pitfalls and learn how to use these tools in a responsible manner. This will ensure that they remain mindful and avoid distractions. It is also crucial for them to be able to identify and evaluate the quality of content they are exposed to.
Social Media and Teaching
Educators are flocking to social media platforms to collaborate, share best practices, and supercharge their skillsets alongside peers around the world. The unique combination of accessibility, real-time interaction, and community support fosters fertile ground for continuous learning.
It’s also a great way to meet students where they are: on the platforms they already use every day. This gives educators the chance to be even more student-centric, providing a more personalized and interactive learning experience that appeals to the needs of today’s digital generation.
For example, Keele University recently implemented chatbots on their Facebook page to respond immediately to student enquiries, transforming what could be a tedious and time-consuming task into an automated tool that allows students to get answers instantly! This can be used to answer questions about bursaries, courses, housing applications, and more.
In addition to making it easier for teachers and students to connect, social media can be a useful tool to spread awareness about different issues. For example, many schools and universities use their Facebook or Twitter pages to post updates about different social issues that are happening in their localities or across the world. This helps in educating the students about various aspects of the society and how they can help in changing it.
However, it’s essential to remember that social media can also be a distraction for students and cause them to lose focus on the tasks at hand. In order to avoid this, it’s crucial that teachers set clear boundaries and guidelines with their students, as well as monitor the amount of time they spend on social media in school.
Social Media and School
Social media is a powerful tool that offers numerous educational benefits. It can facilitate global connections, provide real-time news, and encourage student creativity. However, it also poses a number of risks that schools should take into consideration. Despite its drawbacks, the fusion of social media and education is a powerful one that will continue to grow.
Social platforms allow students, parents, and teachers to connect with one another and build a sense of community. They can share event highlights, showcase student achievements and successes, and promote school pride. Social media can be an effective way to engage students and parents, especially for those who cannot attend school events due to work or family commitments. It can also serve as a platform for teachers to communicate with parents and answer questions.
In a recent survey of 90 primarily middle and high school educators, 87% reported that social media use outside of the classroom affected what happened in their classes. Students can feel isolated and disconnected from their classmates if they spend too much time online, and many have been negatively impacted by cyberbullying. Bullies can use social media to spread negative messages, make threats, or doxx a person’s private information, which can have serious consequences for their victims.
Educators are using social media to collaborate, exchange best practices, and boost their skillsets. They can find a wide range of training resources, thriving communities, and mentorship programs. For example, ExamSnap is an online learning community that empowers educators on their journey to Microsoft certifications.
In addition to traditional Facebook pages, schools can also utilize Instagram stories and TikTok reels to share content with a wider audience. They can create behind-the-scenes videos of school events, highlight student achievements and daily activities, and participate in trending challenges. These videos can be used to attract prospective students, as they give a more realistic insight into campus life and academics. Schools can further maximize their reach by adding their social media channels to their websites, and encouraging their followers to like and share their content. They can even create a social media directory to make it easier for users to find their profiles.
