Does Instagram have any educational merit?
I explored this very question on the platform itself: https://www.instagram.com/_insta4education/
If you want a pdf of the content posted on the @_insta4education page, you can download it here:
A1 – @_Insta4Education
8 responses to “A1 – @_Insta4Education”
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Hi Adrian,
I loved your project! I also noticed how you usually used 9 hashtags in your posts which I learned from your project is the right number of hashtags to you, nice touch.
When I think about using Instagram for education I think about ways I could be creative for it to be purposeful. I like the example you shared about the mystery diagnoses, that allows people to have a discussion through the comments and share their thoughts.
I teach high school Biology which often includes detailed diagrams. I wonder, is there research about the types of images that are most beneficial to learning on Instagram. I would be concerned that images of diagrams would be too much and just scrolled by. This would require some serious creativity!
Thanks for sharing!
Hi,
This was a really interesting platform for your A1 project. I totally enjoyed it.
I’m not sure I would make use of instagram for formal education, but it’s already widely used for informal education. From people like the Happy Broadcast who share facts and news about the world, to accounts like National Geographic that continue to inform followers about the planet we live on, there is a lot that can be learned on instagram. I think instagram would be ideal for creative adult education where social media, portfolios, and networking are part of the curriculum. It could work similarly to how we are using WordPress here: a platform for sharing and connecting whilst learning.
Tools like Later.com also allow for a lot more careful planning and scheduling of content, which is great! It means that if wanting to use it educationally, it can be effectively planned.
Nice ideas!
J
Hi Jamie,
Thanks for your posts here and on IG!
I also really enjoy reading and following the National Geographic pages.
I completely agree with Instagram being great for creative adult education – pointing kids towards Instagram exposes a lot of issues to mitigate.
Hi Adrian,
Great analysis on IG! I loved how you created a handle and delivered your information directly on IG about IG-super creative and fun!
I think I would use it as a “class web page” for my student to collaborate ideas or post their work. As I commented on your page directly, age and accessibility would be determining factors for me in really being able to use IG effectively for education.
Thank you so much for your insights!
Kat
Hi Kat,
I’m glad you liked it. I can’t take full credit for the platform – discussing IG, while using Instagram – I stole it from this MET program – learning educational technologies while using them as the platform. Something I have really enjoyed!
A class web page would be so cool. Since a lot of students are on IG already, it would be an amazing way to continue the conversation outside of the classroom.
Age and accessibility is really a big factor that I didn’t touch upon, including dealing with sensitive/adult content or cyber bullying. IG should be taken cautiously with younger students.
I really enjoyed your presentation, Adrian! I’ve seen Twitter being used towards increasing one’s professional learning network, but insta4education is new to me. As you mentioned, Instagram is considered by many as an unprofessional platform and it is predominately a fun, social media platform. However, I do see its merits in education. Just like YouTube, I believe it was not created for education originally, but its popularity and usage in education nowadays are beyond measure. Followed you 🙂
Thank you Ceci for your positive comments, here and on Instagram 🙂
Hopefully education will slowly infiltrate all of these popular platforms
Yes, Adrian, that was me on Instagram 🙂