Using Social Media for Student Assessment?!
Call me crazy, but this week's topic on social media and assessment completely threw me for a loop. I learned that schools, both K-12 and higher education, have begun using social media to assess student learning, and my first thought was, What a change from what I'm used to! As a newer teacher, it's fascinating to see how quickly education is evolving.
However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized we've actually been using forms of social media in education for quite some time. Take YouTube for example. It's considered a social media platform, and I've lost count of how many times I've watched a YouTube video for a class and had to respond to it in a discussion board. While the assessment itself didn't take place on YouTube, the platform was still part of the learning experience. I've also created YouTube videos that professors and classmates watched and commented on. Similarly, I've used apps like WhatsApp to communicate with peers during group projects, but never as an assessment tool. Other than those experiences, and blogging for previous courses, using social media as part of coursework has been a fairly new concept for me. Web 2.0-Based Learning and Performance, has been one of my first real introductions to using social media as an intentional learning tool.
Assessment is one of the most important aspects of education. It helps determine whether students have mastered the learning objectives while also giving educators insight into the effectiveness of their instruction (Alonzo et al., 2022). But this does raise an important question: How can we assess student learning through social media?
I do agree, that students should be active participants in the learning process. By incorporating social media, something many students use every day, we have the opportunity to create more authentic and engaging learning experiences (Alonzo et al., 2022).
Another point I strongly agree with is that, since 2020, education has experienced a shift toward online learning. As the digital age continues to evolve, it is our responsibility as educators to remain flexible and adapt our teaching practices to meet our student's needs (Alonzo et al., 2022). As a former educator, I know firsthand, how challenging it can be to keep students engaged. To create meaningful learning experiences, we have to connect with the things they enjoy.
So, what does this actually look like in today's classrooms?
According to Alonzo et al. (2022), educators are getting creative in the ways they choose to integrate social media into assessment. Platforms such as X, Instagram, and Facebook allow students to create posts or stories that reflect on readings, demonstrate understanding of concepts, and share about their learning experiences. This allows teachers and students opportunities to offer immediate feedback and assess learning (Alonzo et al., 2022).
Teachers are also using social media to support collaborative learning by assigning group projects where students can communicate through platforms to share resources, discuss projects, and ask questions (Alonzo et al., 2022). Since many students regularly check these platforms, they're likely more responsive than they might be through things like text or email (Alonzo et al., 2022).
While social media offers unique and creative opportunities for learners to engage with one another, communicate with their teachers, and participate in assessments, it also raises important concerns about privacy, student comfort, and appropriate use. In my next post, I'll explore some of the challenges and implications of using social media for assessment in primary, secondary, and higher education.
Sources:
Alonzo, D., Oo, C. Z., Wijarwadi, W., & Hannigan, C. (2022). Using social media for assessment purposes: Practices and future directions. Front Psychol, 13, 1075818. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022. 1075818
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