“So Instagram seemed the perfect way for students to engage with historical and contemporary Catholic culture, and curate their own images to go with their thoughts on the readings and materials each week.“
The idea of using a social media platform to engage students is a wonderful idea if used correctly. Most students would be familiar with using a social media app and if they are not it is easy to learn how to use it. For Barth, using Instagram will allow them to “… engage aesthetically and analytically with course materials in ways that feel personal and accessible.”
“Every student was required to make a new Instagram account that they would use just for class“
This choice was probably for the best. It gives students a place to put their work that won’t get messed with by personal posts like vacation photos or memes. It also keeps a precise timeline for when students turn in work. They probably need to set up the account through their student email and the educator needs to make sure that if they do use social media at school that there is no blocker on the wi-fi.
“For this kind of assignment, fewer guidelines helped the students find their own voice and style.“
Does having fewer restrictions on the assignment make a difference in the effort put into their work? Would the work have a better or worse quality depending on how many guidelines there are? These are what I consider important to how much a student can show that they did the work to the best of their ability.
