As I looked into using Pinterest as an educator tool, I found that most people I asked were using it more as a consumption or curation tool. (See the infographic at the bottom of this post for those type of ideas.) However, as the Pinterest guru NewYorkBob (who has more than a million followers) tells us, it is also a great creation tool. Among other things, one of the reasons I like this tool is because unlike some other cool sites that allow you to share photos (think Instagram), you are not tied to having a certain device. This makes it a great educational tool since it is accessible across platforms. Once you create your board, you can invite the school community to interact by commenting, repining, or liking. So how might this be used in a school? Here are five ideas.
5 ways to use Pinterest as a creation tool for learning
1. Get to know staff
Share photos of teachers with their teaching philosophy. Send this out at the beginning of the year to parents so they can get to know who works at their child’s school. This could be modified as a get to know your classmates with pictures of each and in the comment area they can share their passions. Note: If you don’t have consent to share student photos, the photos could be representative of their passion instead, or…you could make the board secret.
2.Celebrate science fair projects
Share photos of science fair projects with a description of the project. Even if parents can’t be there they can still see what was on display.
3.Share books
Share photos of suggested books to read with a description of what the book is about and who might enjoy it. Families and their children can comment on the books they’ve read and share if they liked them.
4.Sports teams
Share a photo from each event and include information such as final score, MVP, etc. It’s a great way to document a season and provides a way for the school community to show their support. Another possibility is to create a board with players photos and share.
5.Neighborhood guide
Make a guide of your school neighborhood by taking pictures of various places and describing them. Others can share their comments and insights.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. Have more? Have examples? Please share in the comments.
Here are ideas for using Pinterest as a consumption or curation tool for learning.
Note: Pinterest's terms of servicedictate that users under the age of 13 are prohibited. If your students don’t meet the age requirement, make sure it is only a teacher account that is being used.Lisa Nielsen writes for and speaks to audiences across the globe about learning innovatively and is frequently covered by local and national media for her views on “Passion (not data) Driven Learning,” "Thinking Outside the Ban" to harness the power of technology for learning, and using the power of social media to provide a voice to educators and students. Ms. Nielsen has worked for more than a decade in various capacities to support learning in real and innovative ways that will prepare students for success. In addition to her award-winning blog, The Innovative Educator, Ms. Nielsen’s writing is featured in places such as Huffington Post, Tech & Learning, ISTE Connects, ASCD Wholechild, MindShift, Leading & Learning, The Unplugged Mom, and is the author the book Teaching Generation Text.Disclaimer: The information shared here is strictly that of the author and does not reflect the opinions or endorsement of her employer.
