Cyber-bullying, hate speech, addiction to social media and personal vs professional presentation are just few of the many overwhelming negative impacts of Facebook, one of the many examples of Social Media, on our lives.
Related reading on ICT or Social Media.
However, this blog is here, to educate teachers, on how Facebook is vital to teaching despite its negative impacts.
By setting up a Facebook group, it will be easier for you (as a teacher) to inform the students of the new information essential in the class. Also, it will be easier to infiltrate the world where students feel comfortable, but be cautious on the things you are posting about. To avoid uncontrollable instances of exposing your private life, you should have a professional account exclusively for your class.
Don’t have a Facebook account yet? It’s not too late, here’s how: Video tutorial
Don’t know how to create Facebook group? here’s how Click here.
Going back to the positive impacts or uses of Facebook, Here are some of the benefits you can get from an effective use of Facebook with your students in the class:
First, you can share important files with your entire class. Through Facebook, it will be easier for a teacher to give the students their course notes or important documents such as course syllabus, review materials, summary of the lessons, etc.
Second, you can use Facebook to inform students of upcoming due dates, reminders, announcements or any sorts of classroom news. It will be easier for a teacher to remind the students of important dates such as exams, project deadlines, etc. In case of changes in the schedule, it will be practical to put an announcement on Facebook, especially if it’s not announced in class.
Third, you can encourage students to share interesting and educational websites, on-line articles, blogs and more with their fellow students.
Fourth, Students can also share their work with their peers.
Fifth, Facebook is also essential to your fellow teachers because you can share ideas and resources for the classroom.
Sixth, through Facebook, we can also support advocacy of other people (such as promoting anti-bullying in school) by clicking “LIKE” or even by reposting pertinent pages or articles on important matters related to education.
Whether you are a computer savvy or not, Facebook is overflowing with advantages as an educational tool.
Related reading: click here
Want to read more about Facebook as an educational tool? Click or here!
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