For some students, Facebook isn't just for fun anymore
In the winter months, snow days can be a welcome opportunity to miss school for most students—even those at the high school and college level. But snow days are becoming less of a day-pass for frolicking in the snow and more of a 'learn from home' type of school day. According to a recent article in Bowling Green, Kentucky's Daily News, educators are using social media tools like Facebook® to keep their school plans moving forward on days that school buildings are shut down due to inclement weather, like snow days.
Just like many online courses or college classes, elementary and secondary educators are taking to the Web to communicate with their students and keep lesson plans going when the unexpected throws a wrench in the academic schedule. For Advanced Placement (AP) courses, the ability to stay on task with the original lesson plan can be tantamount to the success of students in the class who are following an already rigorous schedule.
"I've been doing snow day assignments online because we had so many snow days last year," Tara Gupton, who teaches AP world civilization and AP European history classes, told the Daily News. "Just because our AP (exam) date doesn't move, we can't afford to miss any class time."
Thomas Jones teaches AP courses and uses Facebook to post relevant videos, article links, discussion topics, test reminders and answers to student questions on snow days.
"It's just a way to keep us going," Jones told the Daily News. "It's a way to communicate. I've had students ask questions (on Facebook) where they don't understand something in their reading."
Although one would assume that students would be reticent to communicate with teachers on social media platforms, especially when it means doing school work on a day off, some students like 16-year-old Amanda, who was interviewed for the Daily News article, welcome the extra academic attention from their teacher.
"The AP exam is at the end of the year in May and it has a set date, so we have to stay on track," said Amanda, who says her AP world civilization's online assignments are "usually pretty easy, but it does make you think."
With the incorporation of e-mail, Facebook and other websites and online communication applications, traditional brick-and-mortar schools and classes are beginning to incorporate online elements that appear to be blurring the line between virtual and traditional classroom learning.
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