Social media is one of the distractions that you will encounter in e learning for kids – specifically Facebook. Both adults and kids alike are so hooked on this social networking site. According to the data from Social Media News, there is a steady number of Australian users – around 15 million of them. The chances are high that the students in your elearning course are one of them.
Instead of competing for the attention of the students, why not use Facebook to your advantage? You can create a Facebook Group that will help you utilize the power of this social networking site on your students.
There are many benefits to using this. One is the fact that everyone uses it. You do not have to orient your students about how it is to be used. Another benefit involves interest. Most of your students would grab the chance of using their Facebook account. It would excite them to know that this will be incorporated in the lesson.
Of course, using a Facebook Group should be done with caution. After all, you do not want them to be too distracted. You need to follow these tips so you can use Facebook effectively in e learning for kids.
Know the type of Facebook group you will use. There are three types of groups: open, closed, and secret. The open group is one that everyone can see. That means anyone can join the group. Closed groups are those that can only be accessed by the members. However, non-members can still choose to search for the group. Secret groups can only be accessed and searched by the members. Choose the type of group that you will create based on the age of the students and the type of information that you will discuss in the group.
Do not make the group too big. First of all, it is advised to keep the group small. Do not make it too big because some of the kids might get lost in the group. You want all of them to participate in the online discussion. If there are too many members in the group, not everyone will be heard. The more shy students might be content to just read what is being said without actually participating. When the group is smaller, everyone will be forced to join the discussion and it will be easier for you to see who is active in the group and who is not.
Set the rules. This is very important. While effective in e learning for kids, it is important that all the members are aware of the rules when using the Facebook Group. For instance, you should set guidelines on the type of posts and comments that will be uploaded. Make sure the discussions will not veer too far from the topic and will also be based on mutual respect at all times. Arguments are okay – as long as it is done in an educated and intelligent manner. It is okay to put the rules on the group page itself – to remind the members of how they should act.
Create activities that will make them want to participate. This is the key to making your Facebook Group effective in e learning for kids. Post questions that will be discussed. Assign ideas that they should research online and post relevant images or articles about it on the group. It is okay to initiate the discussion but let it flow freely according to the understanding of the students. Just make sure you are active enough to head off any comments that might spark unhealthy arguments. You can assign a new member each day to facilitate the discussion. This will give them a sense of responsibility and accountability as they participate in the online group discussions.
E learning for kids can be made to be fun and enjoyable for the students. There are so many tools online that you can use – you do not have to search too far to find them. Learning how to use and incorporate them into the lesson will spark the interest of the students and hopefully, will make them fall in love with the idea of learning.
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