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Download Facebook Guide for Educators.
Facebook Guide for Educators - A tool for teaching and learning
Facebook as a tool for teaching and learning
Education systems around the world are undergoing a revolution in teaching and learning, with the advent and maturity of new technology driving new forms of engagement between students, teachers and the wider world, powered by the web. Digital and social learning often starts from the perspective of where young people are accessing knowledge and learning for themselves. That learning is typically interactive, student centred, collaborative and on demand. It is often outside of school hours, in non-formal settings and increasingly peer to peer via their own friends and networks. Teaching and learning is and will become much more social.
Young people today also have the ability to communicate with anyone in the world using a variety of digital platforms, increasingly through mobile as well as static devices. These tools enable millions to connect with each other and for information to be shared in an unprecedented way. Questions have been raised about how we best prepare young people for a digital world and the need for digital literacy and skills for future jobs and prosperity. What we believe is that giving young people access to digital platforms in schools, colleges and other learning environments provides them with essential core skills that will enable them to navigate their future digital world and enable them to be positive digital citizens.
This revolution coincides with the exponential growth and access to smartphones and mobile devices that allow access to information in real time, at young people’s fingertips. Allied to this, cheap and free online platforms are being used by teachers and students to create and share knowledge and learning inside and outside of the classroom and at home via virtual learning environments. Plus the new phenomenon of MOOCs (Massive Open Online courses) such as the EdX, Khan Academy, Udacity and Futurelearn and Mozilla’s Open Badges have started to change the way higher education and indeed learning is accessed, used and accredited. It is in this rapidly changing landscape that Facebook’s work on the use of its platform as a tool for teaching and learning can be placed.
As a result of our work on this project, we see Facebook as a vital tool for teaching and learning in the 21st century and for making education more social. It is an essential ‘toolbox for educators’ in schools, colleges, universities and other learning settings to open up, inspire and catalyse young people’s learning. From transforming the teaching of subjects across the curriculum within the classroom, to the huge potential for using Facebook for non-formal and out of school hours learning in breakfast clubs, lunchtime, after school, weekend and holiday activities; from young people ‘liking’ each other’s work on a Facebook Page or Group, to young people making, creating and curating their own content and learning; to the ways in which social networks can be harnessed to engage young people in informal learning in youth and community settings.
Ideas from our research, expert groups and case studies are shown in the following table but the inspiration from students, teachers, lecturers and educators keeps on growing and we signpost you to some excellence resources online to give you inspiration:
Quick links
Social Media for Schools Guide, Matt Britland, Guardian Teacher Network: guardian.co.uk.
Mashable: Teachers Guide to Facebook: mashable.com.
50 reasons to invite Facebook into your classroom: onlinecollege.org.
The Why and How of Using Facebook For Educators: theedublogger.com. Download Facebook Guide for Educators.
By Carrie Saarinen. C.S. Lewis said, “You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” Some people feel the same way about online courses, hence, the MOOC was born.
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