Q: My students love social media and are always using it. How can I capitalize on this interest to create opportunities for them to demonstrate their learning?—#InspiredBySocial
A: Introducing projects inspired by the type of social media students consume or will be exposed to in the future is a fantastic opportunity to boost engagement and creativity simultaneously. Students consume a wide variety of content throughout their day—from video tutorials at school to viral videos at home—so it makes sense you'd want to tap into what interests them about this type of multimedia content.
Whether your goals connect to formative assessment, creativity, student engagement, or all the above, you can tailor a social media-inspired project to a variety of learning environments, subject areas, and content needs.
Creative Project Ideas
In my book EdTech Essentials (ASCD, 2021), one area I focus on is creativity in the classroom—specifically, giving students the opportunity to create artifacts of learning they share with others. For a social media spin, here are three types of student creations that mirror popular content shared online but also give students a way to show what they have learned.
Vertical Video
Videos on social media tend to follow a vertical or portrait style as opposed to the horizontal or landscape style that we are used to viewing on television or movie screens. Vertical video is popular on social media because it is optimized for the way we hold our mobile devices, including smartphones.
For a vertical video project, ask students to use the camera on their device—such as a Chromebook or tablet—and talk to their screen to respond to a prompt. For example, you might ask them to share four things they learned while researching a topic.
Or, if they'd like to stay off camera, they can film video or snap pictures that represent their topic as they add a voice-over. For example, they might make a slideshow of items shaped in their classroom with acute and obtuse angles and talk about the differences between them. You might try Apple Clips or Adobe Premiere Rush for vertical video creation, or another video tool like Microsoft Flip.
Graphics and Carousels
A single graphic, or a collection of graphics in a carousel, can allow students to represent ideas in a visual format. A single graphic could include a collage or a solid color with text overlay. A carousel could include a collection of images or graphics with text overlay that presents information. These are great for sharing information in sequential order due to the swipeable nature of these posts.
For a project using a single graphic or carousel of graphics, students can break down a scientific process into steps or put historical events in chronological order. A graphic creation tool like Canva for Education or Adobe Express for Education allows you to make multiple pages—perfect for a carousel style post. Students can share their carousel posts in a space that allows them to post multiple images, such as Seesaw or Padlet.
Microblogging and Short Updates
Microblogging is a term used to describe how someone can offer quick, short updates on a favorite topic or their daily lives in a social space. As opposed to a traditional blog post, which is typically longer (think the length of this article), microblogging pieces are short. It's similar to how people use a tool like Instagram to post updates with a caption alongside a picture.
For a microblogging project, ask students to give regular updates on what they are learning. They might post in a discussion thread within a learning management system or use a tool like Wakelet that allows users to add links, images, and text to a portfolio space. This is similar to the way someone might post updates on Facebook during a week of vacation. They can take a photo or choose a picture they find online that represents an idea and combine it with a short piece of text for a caption. You might use a tool like Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint to create a template for this project where students can add multiple slides to mimic the idea of microblogging.
Projects They'll "Like"
As you explore project ideas inspired by social media, you might make direct connections to the platforms this content typically lives on. This can help boost engagement, particularly among older students, who might have already shown an interest in social media. Alternatively, you might avoid mentioning the popular social networks that inspired these projects, especially with students who do not have access to social media outside of the classroom, and instead emphasize sharing for an audience of peers, families, or community members. Providing students with opportunities to create can take many forms, and as you consume content on your favorite social media platforms, stay on the lookout for what might inspire your next student project!
