This Professional Development Module offers teachers possibilities to work with content beyond the school borders using Social Media, making students more proactive and aware of the importance of creating information and sharing it. Students have received a more proactive role in education, and the information they are exposed to do not come only from the school but also from the internet.
Facebook, Twitter, Google, Blogs and many other tools which are available online take part on the lives of most students. Social Media has been accepted as a tool used inside and outside schools in order to facilitate the work of a teacher, making the content more meaningful, interactive and interesting to students. This is a new age for education and Social Media has presented itself as an ally in this process.
The Module is divided into four sessions, being the last session the wrap-up activities and it will be developed in eight hours, in four days. The first part of the Module consists on an overview about why and how it is possible to use Social Media in education. The teachers will create a Facebook or Fakebook Profile (according to their preferences) on the following session and a Gmail account if they do not have one in order to work with their coworkers at first. On the third session participants are supposed to work with sites and blogs, being able to identify the most important features and possibilities to work with them with students. On the last session participants are supposed to design a lesson plan applying the knowledge acquired along the previous three sessions using Social Media. They are supposed to present their work comparing and sharing their ideas.
Table of Contents
Preface
Overall Learning Objectives for the Module
Session 1: Introduction - Educational Technology and Social Media
Session 2: Facebook X Google Drive: Helpful Teacher Tools
Session 3: Weebly and Edublog
Session 4: Wrap-up activities
Works Cited
Attachments
Preface
Thanks to the IREX staff, Arusyak Mirzakhanyan, Karen Gregorski, Dr. Ara Barsam, Dr. Keith Wetzel, Dr. Leanna Archambault, Dr. Melissa DeSimone, Dr. Ann Dutton Ewbank, Becky Angus and Scott Cornelius for all the support along this unique experience.
In the last few years Social Media become an intrinsic thing to humanity. Just some years ago it was impossible to imagine a teacher using Internet features as educational tools to store information, assess students or work in a cooperative effort. Students are surrounded by technology and the teachers need to face this new situation and take advantage of that to reinforce learning process.
This Professional Development Module has as an objective offer teachers possibilities to work with content beyond the school borders using Social Media, making students more proactive and aware of the importance of creating information and sharing it. Students have received a more proactive role in education, and the information they are exposed to do not come only from the school but also from the internet. Facebook, Twitter, Google, Blogs and many other tools available online take part on the lives of most students. Social Media has been accepted as a tool used inside and outside schools in order to facilitate the work of a teacher, making the content more meaningful, interactive and interesting to students. This is a new age for education and Social Media has presented itself as an ally in this process.
With the advent of the internet and the appearance of social media, Google and other tools students have realized how important their role in their own education and how they can go beyond of what they learn at school. Never before students have felt they have the power to express themselves and learn so much in the meantime. According to Blakenship (2011. P.11), social media presents some benefits in education like “greater engagement, greater interest, students taking more control and responsibility for their education”. Tools like Facebook and blogs have been thoroughly used by students; and teachers are becoming more aware of the potential of these tools in order to make classes more effective and contents more accessible.
The target audience are High School teachers of any subject, since the techniques and ideas can be adapted to any content. However, the training session will be held at first at schools in Brazil and in Malaysia. The Professional Development Module will be held in eight hours.
“Social Media as an Educational Tool beyond the classroom” is a result of the work of the teachers Adriana Pires de Sousa (Brasilia, Brazil), Leo Watson Nicholas Nyalong (Sri Aman, Malaysia) and Patricia Pereira Ferreira (Rondônia, Brazil) based on the educational needs of each school community and from the knowledge and experience acquired in the International Leaders in Education Program in a partnership with Arizona State University.
The Module is divided into four sessions, being the last session the wrap- up activities and it will be developed in eight hours, in four days. The first part of the Module consists on an overview about why and how it is possible to use Social Media in education. The teachers will create a Facebook or Fakebook Profile (according to their preferences) on the following session and a Gmail account if they do not have one in order to work with their coworkers at first. On the third session participants are supposed to work with sites and blogs, being able to identify the most important features and possibilities to work with them with students. On the last session participants are supposed to design a lesson plan applying the knowledge acquired along the previous three sessions using Social Media. They are supposed to present their work comparing and sharing their ideas.
In the end of the module teachers will be able to work with Social Media in order to enhance students` learning making them more participative not only in class but beyond the classroom borders. Students should be able to share information among themselves after a time without the influence and guidance of the teacher, becoming more independent, responsible and participative in producing information in a larger scale. This information should then be used not only inside the school but also beyond its borders.
Overall Learning Objectives for the Module
By the end of this training participants will be able to:
- Access students’ learning using web based platforms demonstrating knowledge and skills on how to use these tools.
- Prepare activities based on the tools studied (Google Drive, Facebook/Fakebook and Weebly).
- Explain the differences between web-based instruction and social network tools that are Google, Facebook/Fakebook and Weebly.
- Demonstrate the use of Google Drive as an Educational Tool in comparison with the use of Faceboo/Fakebook and Weebly.
- Be able to implement the tools in order to enhance students` learning.
- Develop students` centered activities using the social media studied.
- Identify the most appropriate tools to be used outside of the lesson planning in order to enhance students’ learning unit.
- Design a lesson plan to interact and assess theirs students using the suggested tools.
Social Media as an Educational Tool Beyond the Classroom
Session 1
Name of Module Session
Introduction - Educational Technology and Social Media
Session Objective
Explain a brief overview of educational technology and concepts inherent to the subject, as well as about the idea of social media.
Pre-Activity (Before teachers meet with Facilitator)
1. Teachers will receive a survey about their technological knowledge and interest about social media a week before the first meeting, so the facilitator will have time to prepare special material for teachers who struggle with technologies like Gmail, Facebook, Fakebook, etc.
2. Participants who still do not have a Facebook or Fakebook account can access the video on YouTube and learn how to do it on their own by these videos:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V78bcxQrdI4&list=UUKo9- “Setting up a Facebook account"
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmBS_G2kHd4 “How to Create A Fakebook Profile”
Teachers who struggle with tools like email and Facebook will have a previous special session of about one hour in order to create an account to follow the other activities of the module. This special session will depend on the time participants and facilitators have available. However, if time is not available to do so, a list of web tutorials will be provided for them in order to make them create their own accounts at home or at school previously. The links to be accessed are: For Gmail
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfO_iRv9Jro
For Facebook
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zf5q0oS0FM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_mZt1SZgQU
For Fakebook
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmBS_G2kHd4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKznrDT4h-w
For Blogs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5kZgbMRIzs
Warm-up (20 minutes)
1. Participants will watch a video about Social Media. (Link 3)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUCfFcchw1w
Social Media Video 2013 - The video is about how Social Media is presented in our lives considering statistics and numbers. The objective of the video is to show teachers how Social Media being a tool with so much influence can contribute in Education as well.
2. Participants will discuss their opinion on the video in pairs considering the most interesting aspects for them and they should relate to their jobs and how Social Media will change Education as well. Question to be raised during the discussion:
- Have you ever used Social Media? What for?
- How can Social Media help Education on a broad way?
- Have you ever used Social Media for Educational purposes? How did it work? Would you use it again?
Introduction Activity (30 minutes)
1. Participants will connect their computers and add each other on the Facebook, including the Facilitator`s page and post comments and suggestions for the class on the page previously created by the Facilitators.
- What are your expectations for this Professional Development Module?
2. Facilitator will make an overview of the survey showing the teachers the data collected so far in graphics, showing their general proficiency in each tool.
3. Participants visit the website Social Media as an Educational Tool to read the text Social Media in Education.
4. Facilitator will debate with teachers the importance of using technological tools, just like the ones presented on the slides, in the classroom.
- How does web based platforms can enhance both students and teachers in sense of education purposes?
5. Teachers will be divided in groups of three. They are supposed to debate what situations made them use any kind of technological tool related to Social Media in class and how it helped and if they would like to use those tools again. Questions to be raised during this activity.
- Do you have experience on using web tools to prepare learning activities outside of schools session? And do you think it works? Would you use them again?
6.Teachers report their debates to the big group.
Practice Activity 1 (20 minutes)
1. Participants will discuss inside the groups what technological tools can be used inside and outside the classroom and create a chart with the most interesting social media tools they would like to work with along the semester.
- What different web-based instructional would you use for education purposes?
- Will it be possible for a teacher to assess the students if they are being active in using the web-based tools outside the school environment?
2. Participants post their charts on the wall and each group analyses each chart debating the most interesting ideas for them, taking notes for themselves.
Assessment Activity 1 (20 minutes)
1. Participants analyses the charts and compare them with the theory about the use of technology in the classrooms presented on the slides.
2. Participants log on their Facebook accounts in order to Comment on the page previously created by the Facilitators. They should post comments on what they believe paramount about the use of technologies like Social Media in the classroom and they should also comment what they have learned so far about the use of Social Media in Education.
- What was the most interesting information you learned so far?
- How does social media can create student centered learning?
Transition to Activity 2 (30 minutes)
1. In the same groups, teachers debate the advantages and disadvantages of using Facebook and Google Drive to assess students` knowledge beyond the classroom.
2. Participants should list the most five important reasons to use Facebook and blogs in Education to be discussed on the following meeting.
1. Participants will receive a paper with two questions they are supposed to think about for the next meeting.
- How can students acquire knowledge being more participants in the process of learning using technology at the same time?
- How can social media keep students` interest on the contents they are supposed to learn at school?
Necessary Equipment and Supplies
Computers, Internet Access, sheets of paper, markers, tape.
Websites
- https://www.facebook.com/
- http://www.weebly.com/
- www.gmail.com
- http://www.slideshare.net/elearningxxi/social-web-and-language- learning-presentation
Videos
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUCfFcchw1w
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOXPBYx5AOU
Suggested Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8iMLjqIptBc
Time Allotted - 2:00 hours
Session 2
Name of Module Session
Facebook and Fakebook: Helpful Teacher Tools
Session Objective
At the end of the session participants should be able to choose between Facebook and Fakebook to use as an Educational tool to create better classes and assess students` activities online. They should also be able to explain how it is possible to use them as educational tools beyond the classroom in order to make students participate more effectively on the learning process.
Warm-up (10 minutes)
1. Teachers talk about how much they have used Facebook and other Social Media during the week and share among themselves the most interesting information they have found on the sites.
2. Participants should access the Facilitator`s Facebook page to write their expectations for the Session or write any comment on what they have read about Social Media on the net.
- What are your expectations for this Session?
- What have you read or seen about Social Media during this week?
Introduction Activity 2 (20 minutes)
1. Participants will have five minutes to discuss their answers in pairs to the question they were given on the previous meeting.
- How can students acquire knowledge being more participants in the process of learning using technology at the same time?
- How can social media keep students` interest on the contents they are supposed to learn at school?
2. Participants will have more five minutes to write their answers on the Facilitator`s Facebook page.
3. Participants access the site about Online Students (Link 5) http://www.wiredacademic.com/2011/10/infographic-online-students-vs-brick- and-mortar-students/.
4. Participants will have 10 minutes to check the information on the site and discuss with their pairs how the information applies to their profession. x How can you use the information available on the site in your classes?
Part 1 - Facebook (30 minutes)
1. Teachers discuss in pairs or in groups of three the importance of using tools like Facebook on education revising the five reasons to use Facebook in Education proposed on the previous Session.
- What five reasons can you think of using Facebook as an educational tool?
- Would you use it in class or to plan your classes?
2. The facilitator shows the Facebook in Education page used as an educational tool and the Wiziq page available on the Facebook. (Links 6 and 7)
- http://www.facebook.com/education?fref=ts
- http://www.facebook.com/wiziq
3. Participants will discuss in pairs or in groups of three how the page can help teachers plan their classes better.
- How can you use these pages to upgrade your classes and activities proposed to students?
4. Participants will watch a video on how to create an Educational Group on the Facebook (Link 8).
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm0aDPRHiQA
5. Participants will then start creating their own group with the help of the Facilitators.
Part 2 - Fakebook (20 minutes)
1. Participants will be asked if they have already used Fakebook in classroom.
2. Participants will watch a video about how to use Fakebook in the classroom. (Link 9)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj-XCUIbbcE
3. Participants will discuss if such activity is valid in their classes and how they would adapt the activity.
4. If necessary participants can start making a Fakebook page. The tutorial is on Link 10.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmBS_G2kHd4
Assessment Activity 2 (30 minutes)
1. Participants create a list of skills they would like to develop with their students during the semester using Facebook or Fakebook. They write on posters to be used on a Gallery Walk activity.
2. Participants share their ideas in the big group presenting their ideas on the Gallery Walk. The groups chooses the best ideas that can be implemented in the school curriculum.
- How would you use these tools in your classes?
Transition to Activity 3 (10 minutes)
Participants analyze what they have created so far and discuss the use of site creation (all participants together) in order to guide learning beyond the school borders.
Homework
Teachers should answer the questions for the following meeting.
1. How can teachers assess students` learning more effectively using technological tools like Facebook and Fakebook?
2. What skills do students need to have concerning to technology in order to accomplish the tasks?
3. How can Facebook help students’ acquire knowledge?
4. How can Facebook help students interact with each other?
5. How can blogs provide enough information for students perform tasks?
Necessary Equipment and Supplies
Computers, Internet Access, paper, markers, tape.
Sites
- https://www.facebook.com/
- http://www.classtools.net/fb/home/page
- www.gmail.com
- http://www.facebook.com/education?fref=ts
- http://www.facebook.com/wiziq
Suggested Videos
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm0aDPRHiQA
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj-XCUIbbcE
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmBS_G2kHd4
Suggested Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz4MlLndBhQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxrlrbP4UNo
Time Allotted - 2:00 hours
Session 3
Name of Module Session
Weebly and Edublog
Session Objective
At the end of the session participants should be able to create a site with a blog to work with students. They should also be able to explain how students can create their own websites in order to share and interact with other students.
Warm-up activity (10 minutes)
Participants share among themselves sites and apps they usually use in class or outside it to look for information for classes and activities.
Introduction to Activity 3 (40 minutes)
1. Present Weebly platform and describe its features to create an educational site with a blog. Use the video (Link 11) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AqR6vo0pno
2. Facilitator presents the platform Weebly and participants create a profile on order to make their first Weebly site. http://www.weebly.com
Practice Activity 3 (40 minutes)
1. Facilitator shows examples on how Weebly can be used in order to provide more student centered activities and how to use blogs to make students participate on the activities even at home. Show the Weebly site created by Adriana Pires (eatinndisorders.weebly.com) showing how information can be shared about a topic or book as an example to the participants. Meanwhile, participants are creating the site guided by the facilitator.
2. Show the video (Link 9) on how important it is to work with blogs with students and how it can be easily done. Participants may include a blog page on their Weebly site or they can create another blog using the Edublog (Links 12 and 13).
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqQ03JWETd8 10 Ways to use your Edublog
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LPUipgGgUQ Why Edublog?
Assessment Activity 3 (20 minutes)
1. Participants start making their site about any topic they would like to work with their students with the help of the Facilitator.
Transition to Conclusion/ Wrap-up (10 minutes)
1. Participants should explain the rationale for their site and how they plan to work with students along the semester. Participants show their projects after a week working with their sites. Participants may do the sites alone or in groups.
Necessary Equipment and Supplies
Computers, Internet Access, paper, markers, tape.
Sites
https://www.facebook.com/ www.gmail.com
eatinndisorders.weebly.com
http://www.weebly.com
Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eg-9yzQmOk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AqR6vo0pno
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqQ03JWETd8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LPUipgGgUQ
Time allotted - 2:00 hours
Session 4
Name of Module Session
Wrap-up Activities
Session Objective
In this session participants are supposed to work on the pages (Facebook and Weebly) previously created by them and start working with their projects for the year.
Wrap-up Activities
1. Participants design an action task in which he uses a social media tool to assess students progress and knowledge. Participants may choose either a Facebook, Fakebook page or a Weebly site to work with their projects.
- What site is the most appropriate for your educational purposes?
- How can you enhance students` learning through this site?
2. Participants compare and explain the use of different forms of social media that can be used outside the classroom in order to provide students with more information and interaction beyond the school borders. In this part participants must create achieving objectives for their lessons.
- What objectives would you like to achieve with this kind of Social Media?
- How can students access content through these tools?
- How can students participate on your site?
3. Participants will have around one hour and a half to work on their sites with the help of the Facilitator.
4. Participants share their ideas presenting what they have created so far.
Each participant will have around ten minutes to present their projects and their objectives. Each project can be designed by one to three participants.
5. Participants access the Facilitator's Facebook page to comment what they have learned with the Professional Development Module and leave suggestions for the next training Sessions.
Necessary Equipment and Supplies
Computers, Internet Access, paper, markers, tape.
Sites
https://www.facebook.com/
www.gmail.com
eatinndisorders.weebly.com
http://www.weebly.com
http://www.classtools.net/fb/home/page Time allotted - 2:00 hours
Works Cited
Bailey, G. D. (2000) Technology Leadership: Ten essential buttons for understanding technology integration. . Retrieved March 20, 2013 http://leadteachlearn.org/21stcenturytechleaders/techleadfiles/current buttonart.html
Cuban, L. (2001) Oversold and underused: computers in the classroom. Cambridge, MA:Harvard University Press
Januszewski, Alan. (2001) Educational Technology: the development of a concept. Englewood, Colo. : Libraries Unlimited.
Lahaie, U. (2007) Web-Based Instruction: Getting Faculty Onboard. Journal Of Professional Nursing. 23 (6), 335-342, 2007.
Smith, S. S. (2010, 01). Web-Based Instruction: A Guide for Libraries (3rd Edition). 151.
Attachments
YouTube links
Link 1 - Setting Up a Facebook Account
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V78bcxQrdI4&list=UUKo9-)
Link 2 - “How to Create A Fakebook Profile”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmBS_G2kHd4
Link 3 - Social Media Video 2013
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUCfFcchw1w)
Link 4 - Making Digital Connections in Higher Education
(http://www.slideshare.net/elearningxxi/social-web-and-language-learning- presentation)
Link 5 - [Infographic] Online Students vs. Brick and Mortar Students
http://www.wiredacademic.com/2011/10/infographic-online-students-vs-brick- and-mortar-students/
Link 6 - Facebook in Education
http://www.facebook.com/education?fref=ts
Link 7 - Wiziq page available on the Facebook. It presents videos and pictures about Online teaching that can be used in classes or be discussed among teachers
http://www.facebook.com/wiziq
Link 8 - How to create a Facebook group
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm0aDPRHiQA
Link 9 - Using Facebook to teach
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj-XCUIbbcE
Link 10 Fakebook - How to create a Fakebook Page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmBS_G2kHd4
Link 11- “How to Create A Fakebook Profile”
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AqR6vo0pno)
Link 12 - 10 Ways to use your Edublog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqQ03JWETd8
Link 13 - Why Edublogs?
Frequently asked questions
What is this document about?
This document is a Professional Development Module focused on using social media as an educational tool beyond the classroom. It aims to help teachers integrate tools like Facebook, Google Drive, Weebly, and blogs into their teaching practices to enhance student engagement and learning.
Who is the target audience for this module?
The target audience is High School teachers of any subject, as the techniques and ideas presented can be adapted to various content areas.
What are the overall learning objectives of this module?
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:
- Access students’ learning using web-based platforms, demonstrating knowledge and skills on how to use these tools.
- Prepare activities based on the tools studied (Google Drive, Facebook/Fakebook, and Weebly).
- Explain the differences between web-based instruction and social network tools like Google, Facebook/Fakebook, and Weebly.
- Demonstrate the use of Google Drive as an educational tool in comparison with the use of Facebook/Fakebook and Weebly.
- Implement the tools to enhance students' learning.
- Develop student-centered activities using the studied social media.
- Identify the most appropriate tools to be used outside of lesson planning to enhance students’ learning.
- Design a lesson plan to interact with and assess their students using the suggested tools.
What are the main topics covered in the module?
The module is divided into four sessions:
- Session 1: Introduction - Educational Technology and Social Media
- Session 2: Facebook X Google Drive: Helpful Teacher Tools
- Session 3: Weebly and Edublog
- Session 4: Wrap-up activities
What will participants learn in Session 1: Introduction - Educational Technology and Social Media?
Participants will receive a brief overview of educational technology concepts and the idea of social media in education. They will also discuss the potential of social media in enhancing student learning and engagement.
What will participants learn in Session 2: Facebook and Google Drive: Helpful Teacher Tools?
Participants will explore how Facebook and Fakebook can be used as educational tools to create better classes and assess students' activities online. They will learn to use these platforms to make students participate more effectively in the learning process.
What will participants learn in Session 3: Weebly and Edublog?
Participants will learn how to create a site with a blog using Weebly and Edublog to work with students. They will also explore how students can create their own websites to share and interact with other students.
What happens in Session 4: Wrap-up Activities?
Participants will work on the pages (Facebook, Fakebook, and Weebly) they previously created and start working on their projects for the year. They will design an action task using a social media tool to assess students' progress and knowledge.
What resources are provided in this module?
The module provides links to various websites and YouTube videos that offer tutorials and examples on using social media tools for educational purposes. Some of these resources include:
- Fakebook (ClassTools.net)
- Gmail
- Weebly
- Edublogs
- Videos on creating accounts, using platforms, and integrating social media into education.
Where does the content of this module come from?
“Social Media as an Educational Tool beyond the classroom” is a result of the work of the teachers Adriana Pires de Sousa (Brasilia, Brazil), Leo Watson Nicholas Nyalong (Sri Aman, Malaysia) and Patricia Pereira Ferreira (Rondônia, Brazil) based on the educational needs of each school community and from the knowledge and experience acquired in the International Leaders in Education Program in a partnership with Arizona State University.
- Citar trabajo
- Patrícia Ferreira (Autor), Adriana Pires de Sousa (Autor), Leo Watson Nicholas Nyalong (Autor), 2013, Social Media as an Educational Tool beyond the Classroom, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/379114
