Importance of social media for teachers

Social media platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter, or Facebook should not be viewed uncritically for teachers from a data protection point of view for communication with students or their parents.

Their function as a source of information and inspiration for teaching ideas and teacher tips or a medium for networking is a great enrichment!

Why teachers should use social media channels

There are also quite a few teachers who are hostile to social media. The already mentioned data protection problem is a reason that cannot be dismissed out of hand. And of course, social media is not necessary to deliver good teaching. After all, that worked before she appeared.

That’s right – nevertheless, there are some importance of social media for teachers; 

• An almost inexhaustible treasure trove for handicraft, Organization, and teaching ideas
• Input from practicals aside from theory from books and seminars
• The opportunity to share experiences and benefit from those of others
• Networking with other teachers, e.g., B. for projects or the exchange of materials
• Information on current educational topics

And: To improve the students’ media skills, it is an advantage to be familiar with the various channels, privacy settings, and topics such as fake news. Also, a look into the world of the children and adolescents can do no harm to understand them better 🙂

Tips for teachers

It is a good idea to use separate personal and professional social media accounts so that you can put a boundary between school and personal life.

Things to note when using social media for teaching;

• Do not post any comments on social media that you would not make in class.
• Do not interact permanently with students through social networks because they might think that the teacher is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to answer questions and queries.
• Before using these tools in the classroom, create a policy of good use so that teachers and students follow established rules.

Social Media for Teachers

Social networks have evolved to the point that today there are specific niches, such as business platforms. Within this segment, there are also proposals specially designed for the classroom. Some of them are:

Google for Education. The most famous search engine in the world offers this solution so that classes have their virtual version. This is how you can add students, create assignments, and review student work.

Skype in the classroom. It is used to organize virtual field trips and also to invite speakers to the class. The tool also allows teachers worldwide to exchange good practices and create joint projects for their students to work on.

Teacher Tube. This social media for teachers enables them to find videos and analyze them to create their own playlists according to the lessons.