Pinterest in the Classroom

Pinterest is one of my favorite social media networks.  I love it because it's visual and the user has the ability to create boards and pins based on their own needs.  I love Pinterest so much, in fact, that I presented a session on how it could be used in the classroom at a state conference.  If you're interested in the entire presentation, it's below - but don't worry, I'll hit the high points in this post!

Before we go any further, check out this video if you aren't familiar with Pinterest.  It will make the rest of the post make more sense!

 In my 'research,' I found that you can separate Pinterest into 4 main areas (educationally speaking, of course!) that include inspiration, unit and lesson planning, professional connections, and fun.

Pinterest can be used as inspiration for classroom decor, organization, and projects.  One project that I'm going to use as a 'getting to know you' activity for my marketing students is the Food Truck Project that I found on Pinterest and adapted to my needs.  Students will create a food truck, a menu, and an advertisement that represents either their summer or their personality.  It will be a change of pace for students and a great way for them to start working on the first day.  I would recommend creating boards for different things to keep it more organized.  One thing I wish that Pinterest offered was sub-boards, but that's just the OCD in me! :)

The next use for Pinterest goes hand-in-hand with inspiration - unit and lesson planning.  I have boards for each of the classes that I teach and I store activities, resources, printables, etc. on those boards.  You could take it a step further and create boards for different units, too.  I've also started to use Pinterest to gather ideas for DECA (the career and technical student organization I advise).  You can create your own content (pins) which allows you to customize your boards even more.  The only drawback is that some websites don't have enough images to create a pin.

Pinterest is also a good place to find professional connections.  You can follow fellow educators, as well as popular websites.  More businesses are starting to recognize the importance of Pinterest as a social media network and are creating profiles.  Edutopia, one of my favorite blogs, has a Pinterest page with over 75 boards!  Conversation can be limited on Pinterest but users can comment and send messages.

The last use for Pinterest is to use it for fun.  It's important for everyone to take some personal time to relax and decompress after a long day.  Pinterest allows you to explore your hobbies and find new ones!

If you administration allows you to use social media networks in your classroom, there are uses for Pinterest - especially in group projects!  Check out the later slides in my Prezi to see how I would use it in the classroom.

Pinterest is very easy to learn, but there are some tips that I have for being a socially responsible pinner.

1. Be descriptive!  Name and tag boards so your pins show up in searches conducted by other users.  Also, make sure that the description on the pin is relevant to the pin or that you give more information. 
2. Validity!  Does the pin you want to share actually take the user to the right location?  Nobody wants to be rickrolled. 
3. Participate!  Make sure if you find something that you think would be valuable that you create a pin.  Pinterest has add-ons for browsers to include a Pin It Now button.  

Hopefully you have the opportunity to explore how you can use Pinterest in your classroom!  Below is the Prezi I referenced earlier if you would like more information.