Networking for Teaching

                  

INTRODUCTION

          Today, technology provides a lot of opportunities for education that can be accessed by everyone around the globe. The educational field has completely transformed ever since the Internet and technology are included in the equation.

Due to the growth in social networking websites, educators are looking for their potential for use in education, having the conscious that social networking may have the ability to endorse both collaboration and active learning. Thus, the affirmative effects of social networking in education are perceptive. Social networking not only assists students but also offer great opportunities for communication between administrators and teachers. Using social networking sites, teachers can able to improve the involvement of their students in studies and education, improve technological ability, provide a great sense of collaboration in the classroom and make good communication skills.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TOPIC

          Networking in its purest form is simply talking to people, making connections and developing rapport to grow our circle of influence. By developing long-term relationships for mutual gain and creating lasting impressions with people, we will be learning a life skill which has many applications for us both personally and professionally.

          Social networking is a powerful tool for teachers that can be used either for personal or professional means. On a personal front, social networking helps to mix with people from all over the world. It helps to maintain relationships easily.

On the professional front, social networking acts as an informal resume. Potential clients can ‘check you out’ on these networks and browse through our profile, able to access our posts, share their ideas. Networking among teachers helps in their professional development and it can contribute a lot to the development of our educational system.

          Social networking is as important for teachers as it is for others. While, social media is a handy tool in the classroom, it can be as beneficial outside the classroom. The advantages of networking for teaching are:

Ø  Sharing ideas

       Social networking allows teachers to share idea with each other. Comparing notes on classroom teaching techniques and learning styles can help them to enhance the learning experience in their classroom. One can also share lesson plans and visual aid ideas.

Ø  Partnership with other schools

Social networking allows teachers to connect with teachers in other school. These partnerships are useful as they keep them abreast of changes in curriculum and content in others states and maybe even other countries.

Ø  Connect with Students

Social network also gives teachers a chance to connect with their students and other students as well. Connecting with other school students will make them a brand as teachers. While helping their own students can make them their favorite teachers. Teachers can share study tips and tricks to their students during exams.

Ø  Getting information

          Teachers can also use social networking to connect with teachers and other persons from another country. This can help them get accurate information on any topic and not just use content from the internet that is often outdated.

Ø  Professional development

          Social networks help teachers to know more about the seminars, conferences and other development workshops in their area or online. Touching base with individuals from those entities would help teachers to connect with each other which help in their professional development.

Ø  Access to Marginalized Students 

          Not all students are capable of learning in a traditional classroom setting, due to several circumstances. However, teachers can motivate these students to become actively involved in learning with the use of technology. Some students found online environment engaging. 

Ø  Information Management 

          Social networking sites have the power to integrate video clips, photos; hyperlinks, and music clips, teachers would be able to organize easily the information of a specific lesson. Students learn more quickly if teachers use many resources.

Ø  Early Recognition of Student Needs and Formative Assessment 

Social networking sites allow students to ask their teachers on the ambiguity and difficulty of projects, homework, and any schoolwork anytime because online communication is available all the time. On the other hand, the sites also allow teachers to provide immediate feedback, early intervention, and assistance to their students.

Ø  Student Engagement 

Social networking helps the teachers to ensure student engagement. It enhances student’s engagement in online discussion. Social networking sites transform passive learning into active learning.

Ø  Increased Sense of Student Achievement 

 Through constant communication, collaboration, and participation students would be able to learn, ask questions, and even share ideas with their teachers and classmates. The discussion forum of the networking sites help students to develop their higher thinking skills as they share information, analyze, critique, reflect, negotiate, and argue. Thus, students improve their academic performance.

Social networking sites for teachers

There are a number of social networking sites for teachers. Some of them are the following.

·        aPLANET

This is a social networking website for language teachers. it also requires a sign up and once you become a member you will get to meet educators from all around the world discussing issues that have to do with language teaching.

·        The Educators PLN

          This is probably one of  the most known social networks for teachers. This is basically a Ning site dedicated to the support of a Personal Learning Network for teachers.

·        The EFL Classroom Community

     This is a site dedicated to providing/sharing the best resources and methods available for EFL / ESL teachers and students on the internet and around the globe. A site by teachers and students for teachers and students. The focus is on materials/methods that help language learning and teaching.

·        Level Up Book Club

          This is a platform for teachers and learners where they support each other, share ideas for gamifying the instruction and lending a hand for the epic win.

·         Integrating Technology for Active Life-long Learning

           IT4ALL is a huge network with followers and graduates of Moodle for Teacher (M4T) workshops. The members of IT4ALL contribute to the success of the workshops and the learning community. The workshops at IT4ALL are facilitated by educators who follow a relationship-based collaborative learning approach where participants become active learners. Active learning goes beyond active participation as teachers and students become partners of learning and learn through teaching. The rationale behind active learning is that teachers are expert learners who can facilitate the process of learning.

CONCLUSION

          Networking has a lot of advantages in the teaching profession. It helps the teachers to be in close touch with each other. They are able to make good relationships with teachers all over the world through networking. Networking helps them to share their ideas; they can participate in various seminars, workshops, it also helps them to be in close contact with students, able to provide effective and interesting learning environment to the students thus ensuring student’s engagement. Networking not only helps in the professional development of teachers but also the academic improvement of students. 

REFERENCES

·        http://dotconverse.com/benefits-social-networking-teachers/

·        http://k12teacherstaffdevelopment.com/tlb/what-are-the-benefits-of-social-networking-for-teachers/

·        http://www.k2bindia.com/educational-benefits-of-social-networking-sites/#sthash.lXPwBNK3.dpuf

·        https://socialmedianyit.wordpress.com/2015/08/08/social-networking-sites-and-its-educational-benefits/