Using Social Media to Retain and Connect with Students in the Shift to Online Education

Today’s students find it very convenient to bond with their classmates and stay in touch with friends and family via social media. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have been in the academic social spotlight for years, prompting many teachers to explore their value as learning tools.

According to statistical findings, 45% of teachers believe social media enhances students’ academic experience, with 93% of schools using Facebook for marketing as of 2021. There is a clear benefit in using social media to reach out to your students and retain their attention for learning. Let’s take a look at what you can do to use social media platforms to your advantage as education shifts to online platforms in 2022.

Creating Networking Groups for Students

First and foremost, you shouldn’t try to engage all of your online learners individually – it will be nigh impossible. Instead, you can create Facebook, WhatsApp, or Viber groups with every classroom having its online group.

According to AACAP, 90% of 13-17-year-old students use social media, with 75% having at least one online profile and 51% visiting social media sites daily. For today’s youth, online learning and social media are intrinsically natural and not out of the ordinary whatsoever. By creating social media groups, you will gain their trust and respect since you went out of your way to adapt to them. You will gain their favour and ensure that they are retained for longer.

Sharing Exemplary Student Projects on Social Media

Even though online learning may be in effect, your students will still tend to practical projects from home. DIY science projects, photography projects, and other practical exercises can serve as great discussion materials for your social media. You can engage online learners to discuss projects, findings, and plans on how to refine their ideas further.

Students can comment on each other’s work, offer advice, and even build on the existing student projects. This is what separates online learning from traditional classrooms since students can work on practical projects from the safety of their homes. Moreover, no transportation is necessary for any mockups or DIY constructions your online learners build and post on social media.

Promoting your School’s Values through User-Generated Content

Whether you’re a K-12 institution or a university, online learning will also enable you to promote your school to potential freshmen. This can be done by publishing (with parents’ or students’ permission) photos, videos, and other content created by your students. By making your social media channels an interactive experience for online learners, they will be far more engaged by learning online than before.

For example, a group of your students decided to study together for their finals and posted a picture of it on social media. You can use that photo of your online learners and pair it with inspirational quotes or your school’s values on social media. Likewise, you can take photos and videos of your school grounds, campus, and classrooms and pair them with student testimonials and stories. This will positively affect your school’s image, and students will be glad to have a spotlight on your social media pages for a while.

Publishing Blog Posts and Essays Written by your Students

Social media can be used no network with students and showcase their work to others publicly. Whether you assign essays, research papers, or case studies to your students via online learning, these projects can be published as blog posts. You can also share blog posts on your school’s website and thus improve its online visibility for future students looking to apply.

Students who successfully finish a writing assignment can become featured on your social media channels as if they were professional writers. You can use a thesis paper writing service to make sure student essays and papers are proofread and formatted properly before publishing them. With a reliable writing service at hand and social media channels set up, your school will be able to attract more online learners next year.

Sharing Valuable Online Resources and Tools for Students

Even though you need to follow a formal curriculum for your online learners, you can still share interesting resources for students via social media. As you collect research papers and info on your next lessons and essay topics, you will come across valuable platforms and courses online.

Online learning can be a mix of both traditional and life-long learning courses found around the web. Platforms such as Coursera, Skillshare, Khan Academy, and Udemy are uniquely suited to allow for constant online learning. Sharing these resources publicly via social media will make them available to anyone who follows your school’s pages. Likewise, students will be inclined to look for and share similar learning content with their peers.

Engaging your Students in their Natural Online Habitat (Conclusion)

As more and more students become online learners who tend to do their academic tasks from home, social media will allow you to engage them effectively. Online learning doesn’t have to be negative for your school – as you shift to online platforms, it will be easier to retain today’s students. Use social media to get in touch with your online learners and enable them to study even more efficiently thanks to continuous social media networking.

Jessica Fender 

Copywriter and blogger at Paperwritingtools with a background in marketing and sales. She enjoys sharing her experience with like-minded professionals who aim to provide customers with high-quality services.