New Tutorials: Fakebook

Hello, there again!

In this post, I will talk about another great website you can use with your students.

It is called... 

Fakebook is a web-based, free and easy to use teaching tool from ClassTools.net.

Fakebook allows teachers and students to create imaginary profile pages of fictional characters as well as famous scientists, authors of their favourite books, artists, etc. for study purposes.

This tool is a close imitation of Facebook, the social media platform. Social media is in the middle of our students’ every day lives. Teachers should incorporate social media into their classrooms to engage students and support their educational development.

So, what are the benefits of using social media in the classroom?

“Social media promotes self-directed learning, which prepares students to search for answers and make decisions independently. When reinforced in a classroom setting, these social media skills can be guided and refined to produce better learning outcomes and critical awareness.” (Using Social Media as a Learning Tool, 2016)

Also, social media tools are effective ways of increasing students’ engagement. “A student who hardly ever participates in class may get actively engaged in co-constructing his learning experience with his teachers, collaborating with his fellow colleagues, and may feel more comfortable to express himself and to share his resources and ideas on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.” (Rdouan, F., Abdellatif, E., & Raddouane, C. 2013)

Digging deeper into Facebook as a social media tool, there is a wide number of benefits that using Facebook as an educational tool brings about.  “Four inter-related potential benefits: (1) creating a sense of community and promoting collaboration, (2) enhancing communication between instructors and students, (3) developing computer literacy and language skills, and (4) incorporating current student culture into the learning environment are explored.” (Shaw, C. M. 2017)

References:

Using Social Media as a Learning Tool. (2016, October 14). Retrieved from https://www.ashford.edu/blog/online-learning/using-social-media-as-a-learning-tool

Rdouan, F., Abdellatif, E., & Raddouane, C. (2013, October). Exploring the Potential Benefits of Using Social Media in Education. Retrieved October, 2018, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272998596_Exploring_the_Potential_Benefits_of_Using_Social_Media_in_Education

Shaw, C. M. (2017, November 29). Using Facebook as an Educational Resource in the Classroom. Retrieved from http://internationalstudies.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190846626.001.0001/acrefore-9780190846626-e-114

How to use FAKEBOOK?

Follow these simple steps!

STEP 1

Go to the Fakebook homepage in http://www.classtools.net/FB/home-page

Your Fakebook profile page will allow you to save after text entries in a number of fields have been posted. This includes the name of the character, at least one field in the “About” section in the upper left menu bar, and a minimum of five conversation posts.

STEP 2

To name your character, click “Name here” and enter text in the text box. After creating a few posts and saving your template, you will be able to upload pictures directly from your computer.

STEP 3

To add details in the “About” section, click “Born” and enter text in the text box. Also, you can add any number of lines and different sets of information, such as “Hometown,” or “Favorite (music/food/etc.).”

STEP 4

There is a Favourites/Interests section below the “About” section. The “Friends” block is a default, it can be changed by only clicking on it. You can also “add a new block”. Depending on the profile you are creating, you can have different block content.

STEP 5

It’s time to add some posts! Remember, you need to add at least 5 posts to be able to add a profile picture and a cover image. Write the name of your character and the date of the post in the blank boxes and, of course, write something you want your character to say!

STEP 6

Save your profile fakebook. You will receive an http address to access your profile for editing and sharing with others

Here’s a link to a profile fakebook I created as an example https://www.classtools.net/FB/1843-BHYbER

Hope you find it useful and try it with your students!