A recent study done by Babson Survey Research Group and Pearson shows that more than 80% of university faculties are incorporating some form of social media into their teaching. Schools.com published an article on April 25, 2011, with nine examples of how professors are using social media to expand their lesson plans. Included in the article’s list of examples: Facebook Psychology, Presidential Levity, and Playacting— but you’ll have to read the full article to learn just what they mean.
The study reported that 91% of college faculties have engaged in social media as part of their work*. Humanities and social sciences faculty use social media sites the most frequently. Besides subject matter, the study showed little difference in gender, career stage, or device ownership.
As far as homework is concerned, the study revealed that more than 40% of faculty have required students to read or view social media as part of a course assignment, 30% have posted content for review on a social site, and 20% have assigned students to comment or post to a social media site.
A recent U.S. News World Report article reported on elite universities adapting social media into their master’s programs. Ivy League campuses mentioned in the article included Columbia Business School and Harvard Business School. You can read the details of the programs here.
The Ivy-League logic for incorporating social media into expensive master’s programs? In today’s market, recruiters and employers alike are looking for new hires that understand all available business opportunities—and social media platforms have certainly become an important part of marketing, sales, and relationship building.
Another interesting point that the article briefly mentioned was that, now that social media courses were being incorporated into majors, Admission Officers for these departments need to be equally as savvy.
What does this mean for PK-12 schools? Several things. One, social media is officially here to stay. Administrators, faculty, and staff should prepare now (if they aren’t already) for a crash course in social media. Part of preparing graduating classes for Ivy League schools now includes preparing them to understand and responsibly use social media sites.
And, secondly, it’s time to step up to the possibilities of 21st Century Learning, which includes not just online learning, but also engaging students within social platforms. Mashable published “The Case For Social Media in Schools” in September 2010, which gives some great examples of schools that have started to use social media in their classrooms. The article demonstrates that students who are engaged with online learning miss less school and achieve higher grades—for one Portland area school, student grades improved 50%.
Get your school’s administration engaged with social media. ISM is offering a new workshop during Summer Institute: Facebook, Twitter, and More. Registration is still open, although seats are filling up. Click here for workshop details and registration information.
* “Really? That Many of My Colleagues are Using Social Media in Their Teaching?” May 1, 2011. Web 2.0 Teaching Tools. Retrieved from http://web20teach.blogspot.com/2011/05/really-that-many-of-my-colleagues-are.html.
