Photo taken by Mike Collins at E-Learning Network event in Bristol, June 2011
Social media tools are increasingly being used to add interest and value to a traditional face-to-face classroom/workshop event, i.e. to provide social aspects to both pre- and post-work as well as to provide some online social interaction during the event itself.
Although some trainers are using INSTRUCTIONAL tools to support this social interaction, others are using public social media tools to:
- CONNECT & CONVERSE with trainees before, during and after training
- SHARE knowledge, experiences and resources during the training
- CURATE CONTENT relevant to the training
- encourage trainees to CREATE & SHARE CONTENT as part of the training
- encourage trainees to COLLABORATE with one another as part of their training.
A Teacher’s Guide to social Media
The use of social media tools in the classroom or workshop is fairly similar to the use of social media tools in education, hence this infographic (25 Ways Teachers Can Integrate Social Media Into Education is of relevance)
The point of social media tools is to open up conversations and discussions. Remember, that you can’t force people to “be social” – only encourage them to do so, and that social activity (posts, comments etc) does not constitute learning. Also that non-participation (aka lurking) does not mean that they are not learning.
Examples of use of social media in the classroom/workshop
- Social learning in action at #elnil, Jane Hart, Learning in the Social Workplace, June 2011
Using social media in formal learning - free group materials available at the Social Learning Centre
- Using social media in formal learning
Ideas and suggestions for using social media in the classroom or for online learning - How to use Twitter for Social Learning
From building community to using Twitter in training and to support continuous learning - How to use Facebook for Social Learning
From building community to using Facebook in training and to support continuous learning
Other useful resources
The history of learning tools (infographics) - edudemic, 28 April 2012
- Social Media for Trainers, Book, Jane Bozarth, 2010
