Facebook use simplified
There are 5.4million social media accounts in the UAE. Wow. That number inspired me to share some thoughts and ideas for UAE teachers to consider.
Your own digital footprint
If you put all your photos and posts together, you’re designing a story of who you are, your values and experiences. Be mindful. You’re an educator – an individual who inspires learning. More often than not parents, colleagues and students will check out your Facebook page, so make sure that your social media page is teacher worthy. If you prefer to keep your personal information and photographs private on social media, you can select who can see your posts by making adjustments in your privacy settings. Learn how to customise your settings here.
Content is king, wear the crown!
Use your own social media page to provide news, share stories, inspirational ideas, promote achievements and engage in rich conversation. Connect with educators from all over the globe – it’s truly an amazing experience. You might even want to share your own blogs, articles and notes. Feel free to share all of the Teach UAE posts to your page! You’ll be helping our community of educators get bigger and bigger.
Time for a class Facebook page?
Millennials live and breathe social media, so they’ll love being online (remember age restrictions. Learn how to protect minors here). If you are a secondary school teacher, start a Facebook page for your class and tell students and their parents about it. Use this page to share recommended reading, promote collaboration, suggest project ideas and inspiring words. Use social media to congratulate students. If your school has a Learning Management System (LMS), you don’t need to go through the hassle of designing a Facebook page for your class because you’ll be able to communicate with parents and students through the LMS Messaging Centre. Until your school invests in a leading LMS, a social media page will work wonders. Remember to get permission from the School Management Team before creating your Classroom Page.
Keep yourself on track
Social media isn’t a nightmare. In some ways it’s a dream come true! Educators can keep themselves up-to-date with upcoming conferences, teaching resources, ideas, teaching pedagogies and join groups related to their interests and career paths. If used wisely, it can really help you continue to learn, evolve and develop.
One more thing
There’s a fine line between professional and personal social media use, so be aware. Be mindful. It’s comforting to know that you can access and download your data. See how here. Social media is merely a tool to help and enhance learning experiences.
Ready to master the digital world? I’d love to connect with teachers on Facebook. Connect with me on my Facebook page here.
Remember to follow Teach UAE Magazine on twitter click here and Facebook click here.
Happy teaching!
About Sabrina Mulligan
Sabrina Mulligan, is a passionate education enthusiast and content producer. She is inspired by young minds, a promoter of lifelong learning and an advocate of the use of technology in the classroom.
