How Can I Use Pinterest in Teaching?

Pinterest is a virtual pinboard that helps its members organize and share material over the web. Individuals can create a ‘board’ based on topics of their preference and upload ‘pins’ or images that can be viewed by others.

How to get started?

Teachers can log into pinterest.com and create an account. They can also form a separate one that would allow students to create pinboards of their own. Alternatively, each student may be encouraged to form their own account and put up boards based on topics as directed by the teacher. Once online, it’s just a matter of deciding what material is engaging and interesting and these can be uploaded on the boards.

Pinterest and Teaching

Some of the ways by which you can make use of pinterest in teaching to compliment your pedagogic strategies are:

• Source of information

Be an inspiration to fellow educators by uploading material that may make teaching more fun. Also follow different pinboards created by other educators to gain information, tips and ideas that might be useful in your class. As the posting of pins automatically uploads the bookmarks, the original sources are always valuable reference points when there is a need for further clarification on any topic.

• Pin reports

Give your students different topics and instruct them to design and create their own pinboards with appropriate images and captions. Then let the class evaluate and post their comments and feedback. Encourage students to add more content to each other’s boards, thereby making learning more fascinating.

• Motivating tool

Liven up your class with pinterest. Use pinterest as a starting or closure activity. While using pinterest as a starting activity to energize your students, show them a number of motivating pins or those related to the topic at hand. Encourage them to guess what the series of images represent, to find the common thread connecting each pin or to come up with captivating captions for different pins. This in turn will motivate the students and get them eager to learn.

For a closure activity, the teacher can show the students a number of pin material and they can choose the ones most appropriate for the lesson and organize them on the pinboard. In this way, the teacher is able to assess the understanding of the students and facilitate retention of vital points.

Reflection

“Actions speak louder than words” is a common saying. In this case, the images/pins can be used to facilitate thoughtful reflection among students. Pinboards can stimulate critical analysis of an image or infer emotion or feeling behind it, thereby facilitating reflective thinking.

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Discuss Here: What are some ways by which you have used pinterest in teaching?