These are articles I read that have teachers who have used Instagram in their classrooms successfully.
I have always use Instagram as a personal connection to my family and friends, but reading these articles has me convinced that the application can be useful in the classroom. Using technology is a great way to engage your students and capture real life events that are happening in your classroom. Students can share with their families what they are learning and be encouraged by their peers and families through comments on their shared activities. The scavenger hunt idea is great and I could see this being implemented in the biology classroom on a field trip or even in a lab during the procedure. The challenge article reminds me that the Instagram application is world wide and a great way to implement collaboration across the globe. Pictures are way more powerful and efficient than words and can help the second language learners with their confident in the material. This app when used in the classroom gives them level playing ground and a chance to show and express themselves in a different modality. The student engagement article is comforting for me because I already try to incorporate every single aspect of that list into my classroom. I might just commit to hanging up this list in my classroom to remind me about them each and everyday. Having my students know that I strive to hit on that list with each and every lesson will help them stay motivated in the class as well. By using the Instagram app in the classroom you actually hit on each one of those engagement techniques called for by the students. Looks like Instagram has found a home in my classroom!