Social Media
“Inspirational” texts?
JILL SALAS, LEARNING INTERVENTIONS SPECIALIST WRITES
How about study tips instead?
Roland Fryer, an economist at Harvard University, recently joined forces with a New York marketing agency to craft and disperse “inspiring” daily text messages to 2,000 students enrolled in public schools in Oklahoma City. Designed to potentially enhance the academic success of 12-13 year old students, the study
Failed to find any improvement in the students’ academic results or attendance.
Students were given free mobile phones in exchange for receiving and responding to the daily texts (via a quiz). One such example of an inspiring text: “People don’t look down on someone for being too educated.” Although the students responded correctly to the quiz questions, as well as seemingly altered their views on education’s value, Fryer attributes the lack of academic improvement to students’ inability to alter their study habits or improve their learning. In other words, students “got the message” that academic success has value, but they could not figure out what measures or path to take to get there.
Not to throw around the D word (duh!), but, come on!
A better experiment could be to send students a daily study tip, strategy, or learning fact that they can apply to an academic task. Those daily texts could then be stored in a student’s “tool box” as a list of potential learning strategies that they can try on their own or in study groups. Then, if any particular strategies do in fact, foster a student’s academic success, the true value (lesson) of their effort can be witnessed firsthand.
Experience is the best teacher because she gives the test first and the lesson afterward (Vernon Law).
Facebook Helps First-Generation College Students
ALLISON CONNER, LEARNING OPERATIONS SPECIALIST WRITES:
“Our message to high school students is that even if they are disadvantaged in terms of financial resources or parental support, social media can help them access resources they may already have in their extended social networks,” said D. Yvette Wohn.
The researchers urge school counselors and administrators to explore new ways to help high school students decipher their next steps through social media. They are currently developing a Facebook app designed to help first-generation students identify people in their extended social networks who are knowledgeable about college and can serve as a support system throughout the college experience.
Has social media helped you navigate your way through college? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Click here to read a summary of the study.
All Ways Learning 