Instagram and Education: Best Practices for Teaching and Learning on Social Media

Social media platforms like Instagram are not just for sharing pictures of cute animals and food. They can also be used as powerful tools for teaching and learning. Here are some best practices for using Instagram in education.

Set goals for your Instagram account

Before you start using Instagram in your classroom, set clear goals for what you want to achieve. Do you want to increase engagement with your students? Do you want to provide visual aids for your lessons? Or do you want to showcase your students’ work? Whatever your goal is, make sure it's specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Create an Instagram account and follow other educators

Create a separate Instagram account for your classroom or school. Make sure to choose a username that reflects your school or subject. Also, follow other educators and accounts in your field for inspiration and collaboration. Don't forget to add your school's website and contact information in your bio.

Share valuable content with your students

Post content that is informative, entertaining, and relevant to your subject. Use high-quality images, short videos, and engaging captions to make your content more appealing. Don't shy away from using hashtags to make your posts more discoverable. Also, encourage your students to share their own work on your account and tag your account in their posts.

Engage with your followers and monitor comments

Respond to comments and messages from your followers promptly. Encourage discussions and debates around your posts. However, monitor your comments section regularly to prevent cyberbullying, hate speech, or any inappropriate content. Be prepared to remove any such comments, and inform your students and parents about your policies on online behavior.

Evaluate your Instagram usage regularly

Regularly analyze your Instagram insights to see if you're achieving your goals. Use these insights to adjust your content strategy and engagement tactics. Also, get feedback from your students and parents on their experience with your Instagram account. Use this feedback to make changes and improvements.