Teaching and Learning Through Text Messages
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One of the concerns in today’s educational society is the lack of development compared to other spheres. With the incredibly fast progress of tech, why are educational institutions so slow to accept these breakthroughs to aid us and streamline everyday processes? Today we will be looking at text messages in the teaching and learning process and finding out if it’s a help or a waste of time.
How to Help Learners with a Simple Text Message
From a teaching standpoint, the easiest and most basic things you can do with a simple text message is nudging your learners along. It doesn’t take up much of your time, but texting a short personalized message to a learner can help you connect with them and nudge and remind them of specific tasks.
This piece describes how educators and mentors in Idaho used simple text messages to gently push their learners and encourage them to do that little bit extra. The results came back incredibly positive!
Connecting With Your Learners
A good educator always connects with their learners to have a mutual understanding between the two. It’s never about Educator vs. Learner; it’s the two of you working together for a better future and society. Text messages can be used for more than reminders, they allow the learner and educator to discuss work and projects and seek counsel about specific subjects without setting time aside between classes.
You can quickly talk them through the work should they need guidance and encourage them to try doing a little extra. Remember that everyone loves to be given personal attention, so a customized message of encouragement goes a lot farther than a general announcement. West Virginia College found that these nudges from staff garner higher grades and raise most learners’ average GPA.
What About Educators Who Want Privacy?
Understandably, an educator might be hesitant to give out their personal cell phone number. There are lots of alternatives that can help you connect with your learners online.
For example, different apps allow you to set up virtual classrooms, such as Pedagogue. A virtual classroom is precisely as it sounds: an online learning environment that enables learners and educators to communicate in real-time across the Internet.
Conclusion
So does teaching through text messages work? Yes, using text messages and different forms of communication such as virtual classrooms will help when done correctly. As the educator, you can meditate on just how much tech is used in your practice, and it is essential to know when it is an asset and when it becomes a crutch. Utilize text messages to guide and encourage learning, but remember this is not the only tool you can use to teach.