Social media has changed the way we communicate with each other, both at home and in the workplace explains Peter Decaprio. Social media is ubiquitous today, whether it’s Facebook or Google+, Instagram or Pinterest, tweeting or texting. So what happens when your company decides to engage in social media? How does all of this interact with your online courses?
The answer: it has an extensive impact on them. Online courses are ideally suited for social media interaction; this means that developing an online course will now require you to learn about how these two entities can work together to provide a more engaging experience for students. This article aims to give you some best practices on using social media in education.
Using Social Media for Courses:
Many believe that using Facebook can be a great way to get more people to sign up for an online course. By posting regular updates on social media, you will be able to drive traffic to your website and get students interested in enrolling in your courses.
Many think that using Twitter is a good way of demonstrating the real-world applications of what is being taught in online courses. It can also provide a venue where students can discuss their post-course experience with each other and even with the instructor, thereby helping to make it a richer learning experience for all parties involved. Students who are fans or followers of a certain brand or organization may well feel confident enough in engaging in discussion about its offerings via Twitter, enabling them to freely voice their opinions without fear of retribution from peers. This sort of peer-to-peer interaction on social media can help to generate buzz around your online courses.
One of the most popular forms of social media these days is video streaming. Streaming services like JustinTV have millions upon millions of users worldwide, enabling anyone to broadcast whatever they want for anyone else to view. This sort of platform could prove invaluable in your online course development strategy because it will enable you to create a blog or vlog which you can use as part of your social marketing campaign for an eLearning program says Peter Decaprio.
Instagram is also important when developing an online course curriculum because not only does it allow people to share images with each other socially, but it can be use by educators to create photo diaries that show what life is really like in a particular online course. This method of sharing is a great way to increase transparency with prospective students and it may also be a very useful tool when developing an online course on cultural diversity, for example.
What the Future Holds:
Online courses will increasingly move away from being limiting to desktops and laptops. And instead start using more media such as video-on-demand, animation, and voiceovers to create more engaging learning experiences for students. The one unifying principle between all forms of social media. That can be use in conjunction with online courses in community building; we will increasingly see educators adding support forums and chat windows onto their websites. So that students can interact with each other before, during, and after enrolling in any eLearning program says Peter Decaprio.
For example, a person who is studying something as basic as English as a second language will now be able to find out. What do other students think of the same program by checking online reviews. The future looks very bright indeed for those who want to make education more social via social media!
Here are some FAQs recently asked about social media in eLearning:
Can I get a discount on my social media for the eLearning program?
How to Handle Trolls and Negativity:
No matter what we do online, we must be prepared for negativity and trolling. You can ignore one or two negative posts if they don’t affect you too much. But what should you do if someone starts posting offensive content regularly? The best solution is to block them and immediately report their account. So that it can be reviewed by the website’s administrators.
If you see friends leaving your page because of other people’s negativity, then consider blocking those offenders as well. If you really want to help out other people in this situation, then just let them know behind the scenes. That they’re welcome back anytime they like – not everyone is used to social media etiquette just yet!
Why do I need to take into account the time difference between my learners?
Social Media in Distance Learning:
People often say that for business purposes it’s important to be mindful of people’s varying time zones. However, if you are using eLearning as an education platform then this simply does not apply. So why not be even more open and share your content with educators all around the world? You’ll find that other teachers will occasionally link back to your blog or vlog. Providing you with free exposure on another site at absolutely no cost to you whatsoever. This can really help increase your own page rankings on Google or Bing. Because there will now be two or more additional pages linking back to your original content.
Conclusion:
Peter Decaprio asks so, what does this all mean for you? Well, it’s a dazzling world out there in the social media universe. And if your eLearning program is going to succeed. Then you’ll need to tap into this part of the online marketplace. Look at everything from Facebook to Twitter to Instagram and even Google+ as a means of interacting with existing clients. Or potential clients who are interested in learning how to make their own educational material.
