How do I use social media like TikTok as a teaching tool?

Have you ever been told not to use social media in the classroom?

To hear an audio version of the text in the above video, click the play button on the audio player below:

The concept of the "classroom" is ever-evolving!

Virtual environments are gaining popularity in education, even in the post-pandemic world. Educators need to meet learners where they are.

Social media can play a huge role in re-imagining the modern classroom.

Apps like TikTok can serve as a simple, direct, and instant communication tool between students, teachers, and parents. It can also assist peer-to-peer and collaborative learning.

It allows for more elearning opportunities, providing a strong foundation for self-guided learning and learning on-the-go.

With social media, learning can be both meaningful and FUN!

Microlearning — a model that breaks up learning into bite-sized units that can be completed in 10 minutes or less — is shown to be 22% more effective than traditional modes of learning.

Platforms like TikTok become the perfect delivery vehicle for microlearning because of its video format and easy accessibility, as most people have access to mobile phones in the modern world.

Check out an example of a TikTok microlesson below, where a teacher demonstrates how to solve a complex equation using a pencil and paper: 👇

TikTokcan cover a wide spectrum of learning content: from how to write your resume (or creating a resume on TikTokthanks to Rumie!) to business case studies in brief video format.

Some examples of how to use TikTok effectively in class:

• Summarize lessons you've already taught your students and then promote it on TikTok as an overview of the lesson.

• Curate a series of short videos to introduce or solidify a concept.

• Have your students create their own videos to explain their understanding of a topic.

The social aspect of using platforms like TikTok also lends itself to greater outreach and impact: 100 million views instead of 25 students in class learning about it.

TikTok understood the demand for microlearning in 2020 and created the #LearnOnTikTok series. They also announced a massive $50 million Creative Learning Fund and a #TeachersofTikTok series to help teachers with lesson plans and educational content.

If you work for a school or organization, you can leverage TikTok to market and publicize your educational content, lesson plans, and programs directly to students and other education professionals.

Publicizing your lessons and education programs welcomes feedback and collaboration on a larger scale, often in the public domain.

Check out the video below for an example from the Junior Achievement Company Program Trade Fair, where student entrepreneurs presented their startup ideas!

When students have knowledge at their fingertips, anything is possible!

Explore TikTok to see if you can videos that connect with your lessons and capture the interests of your students.

Come up with ONE thing that you learned from watching a new TikTok video and share it with your students. We learned the term #climateadaptability by watching the video below.

Explore TikTok!