Who said the French Ministry of Education was a bunch of dinosaurs? After Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest and even Vine, it’s now using Snapchat to help secondary schoolchildren revise for their baccalaureat, as reported by online magazine Rue 89.
This initiative was announced on Facebook, when the Ministry replaced its profile photo with a “Snapcode.” By scanning the little yellow ghost sporting a purple “E” via the Snapchat app, users can access the “When I sit my baccalaureat“ account which features some of the content posted on the Tumblr account of the same name.
COMMUNICATING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
So why Snapchat? The core demographic of the social network, which enables users to send short-lived messages, is teens: according to a recent study by Piper Jaffray , it’s even ousted Instagram as the social network of choice for 17-year-olds.
For now, the aim is to set up a multi-channel dialogue with pupils that reflects their everyday habits and uses. The advice that’s given via this platform, in the form of snaps that can be viewed for up to 10 seconds, uses Internet slang in an attempt to “speak the same language” as teens, with lol cats, emojis and GIFs of clips from films and TV series.
This method also uses Internet stars such as popular YouTuber Enjoy Phoenix who deals with issues such as bullying.
Examples of screenshots from the Snapchat account via Rue 89
GETTING THE education SYSTEM BACK IN TOUCH WITH PUPILS
But the adoption of Snapchat hasn’t gone down well with all the teachers: some believe it’s a “waste of time” or feel it’s the “wrong medium,” more suitable for entertainment than planning and organising revision. Others, however, have welcomed the initiative:
“Using the social networks creates a more interactive, motivating and possibly more individualised approach.”
Social networks play an increasingly important role in the lives of young users but specific training in how to use them responsibly is essential. Young people are often ignorant of the responsibility and risks involved and don’t always use social media wisely.
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