Exploring Instagram to Promote Student Engagement in an Online Didactic Environment

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced higher education institutions to shift to nearly 100% online delivery of didactic coursework nationally. Beside the stress and isolation that many students experience simply due to the physical distancing requirements imposed by the crisis, students new to learning in an online environment may feel further isolated and disengaged from the course content.

Experiences of first year undergraduate nursing students using Instagram in their clinical practicum during COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

“…Furthermore, there are recommendations for maintaining and promoting the use of social media as an educational tool among students ( Ganjoo et al, 2021 ), such as: a) planning the contents to be frequently posted to maintain interest and update contents; b) seeking new ways of displaying the information so that students relate and connect to the content; c) checking the feed regularly and responding encouragingly; d) reminding students of new content so they can respond to posts published by the instructor and by classmates to spark more debates; and e) ensuring that questionnaires and tasks, if used, are not complex, and do not require a lot of time (figures, short questions).…”

“…We believe that in order to use Instagram as an educational tool, it is essential to determine: a) the educational content that will be addressed using Instagram, b) which teachers (or those responsible) will evaluate the suitability of that content, and c) the procedure for evaluating that content while ensuring the privacy of all the people involved. Ganjoo et al (2021) describe several strategies for promoting the safe use of Instagram as an educational tool, including, among others: a) developing institutional guidelines on the use of social media; b) professors should ensure that the posts are relevant and related to the content of the subject; and c) evaluating the use of hashtags, Instagram Stories or Instagram Live, due to the fact that subjects are taught in a closed and private educational environment. Including these options could increase the audience, enable connection with students in real time and create more opportunities for discovery of the Instagram account.…”

“…In the field of nursing university teaching and other health sciences, Booth and O'Connor (2017) , Coman et al (2021) and Katz and Nandi (2021) have highlighted the use of social media, and platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Specifically, regarding the use of Instagram as a teaching tool in health sciences, but not in nursing field, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of studies ( Ganjoo et al, 2021 ; Gulati et al, 2020 ; Koenig et al, 2021 ; Plack et al, 2021 ) have reported that this social media platform was used as a support tool for subjects, facilitating access to new materials, infographics and content related to clinical practicums ( Koenig et al, 2021 ). Also, Instagram was found to increase student engagement and served as a potential recruitment tool using the “stories” option ( Plack et al, 2021 ; Ganjoo et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Specifically, regarding the use of Instagram as a teaching tool in health sciences, but not in nursing field, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of studies ( Ganjoo et al, 2021 ; Gulati et al, 2020 ; Koenig et al, 2021 ; Plack et al, 2021 ) have reported that this social media platform was used as a support tool for subjects, facilitating access to new materials, infographics and content related to clinical practicums ( Koenig et al, 2021 ). Also, Instagram was found to increase student engagement and served as a potential recruitment tool using the “stories” option ( Plack et al, 2021 ; Ganjoo et al, 2021 ). Furthermore, it can be used in combination with other paired teaching methods ( Gulati et al, 2020 ).…”

Ketertarikan Peserta Didik SMA terhadap Penggunaan Platform Instagram Sebagai Platform Penyampaian Materi Pembelajaran Biologi Pasca Pandemi Covid-19

“…Berdasarkan wawancara dengan peserta didik, terkadang peserta didik mengalami kejenuhan mengikuti pembelajaran daring karena penyampaian materi yang tidak bervariasi. Unggahan konten pada akun Instagram, meliputi: 1) gambar terkait materi biologi, 2) video penjelasan konsep dengan durasi pendek (kurang dari 60 detik), 3) meme, fakta menyenangkan, dan kartun untuk melibatkan aspek sains yang menyenangkan, 4) ringkasan artikel penelitian yang mencakup konsep-konsep kunci yang diajarkan di kelas, 5) berita dan media populer terkini terkait ilmu laboratorium, 6) kuis pendek tanpa peringkat pada konten mingguan, dan 7) kutipan inspirasional tentang sains (Ganjoo et al, 2021).…”