Social Media as a Teaching Tool

Dr. Minakshi Prasad Mishra

Odisha University of Technology and Research
Bhubaneswar
What is teaching?
⚫ It is a process where the needs and aspirations of a
particular group of individual is fulfilled by means of
sharing knowledge, enriching experience and
engaging in interactive activities.
⚫ Teaching can also be understood as imparting
knowledge to or instructing a group on how to do
something.
⚫ According to American Psychologist Jerome Bruner
(1915-2016),teaching is not meant to create living
libraries but to ensure the process of establishing
knowledge on a long term basis through participation.
Teaching tools
⚫ A teaching tool is a helping hand which expedites the
teaching learning process.
⚫ A teaching tool helps the teacher to deliver the lessons
or topic with more conviction and clarity.
⚫ It also helps the teachers to organize the classes into
different time zones and deliver it.
⚫ E.g. Books, Maps, Diagrams, Globe, White/Black
boards, Projector, LCD, Videos, Charts, Maps, 3D
models, Story telling, Audio-visual aids, examples etc.
⚫ Modern tools: Google classroom, EdPuzzle, Quill,
Plickers, Powertalk etc.
Role of Teaching tools
⚫ Draws attention
⚫ Creates interest
⚫ Increases effectivity
⚫ Make things look easier
⚫ Provides timely stimulation
⚫ Helps in absorption and retention
⚫ Triggers creativity by enhancing thinking
⚫ Helps in making the complete process attractive
⚫…
What is Social Media?
⚫ It is primarily a computer based technology that helps in
sharing of ideas, thoughts, moments, information in virtual
platform and communities.
⚫ It can be assessed through computers, tablets or smart
phones.
⚫ Social media functions through networks which includes
Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube etc
⚫ 518 million users in India and 4.5 billion users in the world.
⚫ It is one of the fastest evolving fields where we are exposed
to a new app on a daily basis.
⚫ Social media platforms provides photo sharing, blogging,
social gaming, social networks, video sharing, business
networks, virtual worlds, reviews, and much more.
Contd…
⚫ The intervention or intrusion of Social media in human life is
huge.
⚫ In today’s date it is second to impossible to ignore let alone
discard or disassociate with social media.
⚫ We find a paradigm shift in people’s attitude in general
regarding social media.
⚫ People in general tend to find a new identity for themselves
with the help of social media.
⚫ Statistically, one in three individuals are addicted to social
media.
⚫ According to Pew Research Center, social media users are
young with 90% of them being between 18 and 29 years of
age. 
Positives associated
⚫ Connects with people across the globe
⚫ Helps in linking with friends and family
⚫ Helps in sharing thoughts, photos, moments, videos
etc.
⚫ Helps in marketing
⚫ Helps in promoting business
⚫ Helps in influencing the thought process of individuals
⚫ Showing empathy and providing service
⚫ Communication tool
⚫ Building relationships…etc.,
Social Media and Mental Health
⚫Distraction and disinterest
⚫The feeling of insufficiency
⚫Fear of missing out (FOMO)
⚫Isolation
⚫Cyber bullying
⚫Self-absorption
⚫Security blanket
⚫Lack of sleep(sleep disorder)
Extremes
⚫ Depression & anxiety
⚫ Alienation
⚫ Violent behaviour
⚫ Use of porn content
⚫ Fatal acts (Blue Whale Challenge game 2017)
⚫ Life of a virtual world (Korean couple raising
the virtual child Anima, leading to the death
of their own child out of malnutrition)
⚫ Friendless life and relation less family
???
⚫The pertinent question is:

“ AS TEACHERS CAN WE IGNORE

SOCIAL MEDIA?”
Challenges...
⚫ Teachers are faced with multi-faceted challenges in
the modern day classroom posed by students. e.g.,
i. Exposure to modern technologies
ii. Lack of interest in classroom learning
iii. Online classes
iv. Concept of virtual learning is strong
v. Information overload

Teachers can take advantage of this mindset of

pupils to impart learning without hampering the
students’ dignity.
Turn-around
⚫Use of modern teaching methods in the
classroom:
I. Student centred learning
II. Increased autonomy or peer learning
III. Cooperative learning/Group task
IV. Use of Virtual reality technology
V. Use of AI technology
VI. Use of design-thinking
Social media as a teaching tool: examples
⚫Use of Youtube videos in the classroom
for explaining a particular topic.
⚫Use of Facebook page for a particular
class group for updating notes and
broadcasting alerts.
⚫Use of Twitter as a class message board
⚫Use of Facebook/Youtube for live
streaming classes.
⚫Class blogging for getting assignments.
Merits
⚫Information sharing becomes easier
⚫Economical as well as eco-friendly
⚫Interested students can go for in-depth
knowledge on a particular topic
⚫It helps students to understand the
concept at their own pace and broadens
their horizon.
⚫The learning process is not limited to the
classroom.
Conclusion
⚫MODERATION
THANK YOU
⚫Questions please?