Читать книгу Successes and Setbacks of Social Media - Группа авторов - Страница 18

Often, as students and instructors, we think of civic engagement through the lens of volunteerism and political participation, such as voting. However, there is so much more to being engaged with one’s community. College and university instructors have the opportunity to facilitate these broader connections. A semester-long project that launches an anti-hate social media campaign is one approach. However, it can also be done on a much smaller scale. Have students search social media for examples of concepts being introduced in class and connect discussion back to the issues their posts bring up. Have students consider how they would make their argument in class on social media. What sort of support or evidence could they use and how would they consider the limitations of their chosen platform? The platforms may change, but social media is here to stay. As an undergraduate student, I benefitted because an instructor was willing to bring social media into the classroom. As an instructor myself now, I try to do the same thing. Social media does not have to be a barrier to academic success and when used effectively, it can help students apply their learning well beyond the walls of the classroom. Students, as was the case for me, may not know how influential their learning can be just yet.