One of the biggest concerns in today’s educational society is the lack of development compared to other of society’s spheres. With the incredibly fast progress of technology, why are educational institutions so slow to accept these breakthroughs to aid us and streamline everyday processes? Today we will be looking at the use of text messages in teaching and learning and finding out if it’s a help or a waste of time.

How To Help Students with a Simple Text Message

From a teaching standpoint, the easiest and most basic thing you can do with a simple text message is nudging your students along. It doesn’t take up much of your time, but texting a short personalized message to a student can help you connect with them and nudge and remind them of specific tasks. 

This article describes how teachers and mentors in Idaho used simple text messages to gently push their students and encourage them to do that little bit extra. The results came back incredibly positive!

Connecting With Your Students

A good teacher always makes sure to connect with their students to have a mutual understanding between the two. It’s never about Teacher vs. Student; it’s the two of you working together for a better future and society. Text messages can be used for more than simple reminders, but allow the student and teacher to discuss work and projects and seek counsel about specific subjects without setting time aside between classes. 

You can quickly and easily talk them through the work should they need extra guidance, and encourage them to try doing a little extra. Remember that everyone loves to be given some personal attention, so a personalized message of encouragement goes a lot farther than a general announcement. West Virginia College found that these simple nudges from staff managed to garner higher grades and raise many students’ average GPA.

What About Teachers Who Want Privacy?

Understandably, a teacher might be hesitant to give out their personal cell phone number. Still, luckily there are plenty of alternatives that can help you connect with your students online. 

Using apps such as Pedagogue allows you to merge traditional aspects of the conventional classroom with the digital world, allowing you to take learning to the next level with technology.

Concluding Thoughts

So does teaching through text messages help? In short, yes, using text messages and other forms of communication such as virtual classrooms will always help when done correctly. As the teacher, you can mediate just how much technology is used in your practice, and it is essential to know when it is an asset and when it becomes a crutch. Use text messages to guide and encourage learning, but not as the only tool you use to teach.