by Jonathan Zaccarini
A popular adage is “Learning is everywhere;” however, Click-Link-Connect educational programs still struggle with student social connection. Educational programs need continuous annual improvement to improve remote educational experiences. Social media networks can promote learner engagement in a remote setting. The purpose of this paper is to theoretically demonstrate how a summer program in BELL, or Building Educators for Better Life, was used as a model to redesign a pre-existing program that can improve student engagement with technology while maintaining the core goals of the organization. This paper addresses instructional practices that need improvement, how the addition of social media networks can facilitate this while promoting student engagement in a remote environment. The utilization of social media networks as educational tools reveals the flexible nature of scaffolding online learning while mitigating skepticism toward it.
Jonathan has experience teaching online and is currently a Digital Learning Support Specialist for Columbia Mailman School of Public Health. His main goal is to consider the student experience in online courses. As an undergraduate student, he had to figure out how to make university learning work for him. Students need help navigating course work and finding their own personal way to make course material applicable.