By Kansas Gibler

Students in Lisa Ball’s Advanced Biology classes are the pilot group for a three-year social media project.

Ball’s freshman advanced biology class has moved its homework assignments online to Twitter, and students have supported the transition for the most part.

“Most students have reacted positively, just a couple who have dissented and I have given them an alternative assignment,” Ball said.

A research worker at the University of Kansas approached Ball to work on this project after her department received a grant.

“I was approached by a researcher from KU, and she and her colleagues had gotten a grant. They were trying to bring me in to be one of the four teachers participating in the grant,” Ball said. “They had to work on me for a while.”

Four other high schools are participating in the experiment: Free State, Nemaha Valley and a high school in Blue Valley.

Social media use in daily lives of some students has enabled a trend toward those students appreciating the project more, while those who are not familiar with social media don’t enjoy it as much.

Among students who confidently get out their smart phones and log into Twitter, freshman Michael McFadden fully supports the transition.

“It helps a lot of people get their stuff done because not very many people want to write stuff down,” McFadden said.

Students have seen the Twitter homework as an easier way to do homework.

“I do [homework] a lot faster,” McFadden said. “I do it instead of just letting it sit in my backpack.”

Having homework on the internet gives students and teachers the opportunity to communicate when they aren’t at school.

“Well, I think it’s really neat to see how students interact with each other, and it generates a lot of discussion if people are willing to put in the time read,” Ball said. “I think it’s very interesting to see the thoughts that come from students, and not just me teaching. Students are teaching each other. Also, when I was out sick it was nice to still be able to communicate with students.”

But with students on social media, things cannot always be private.

“Even though we have our own Twitter addresses, it’s still public social media, and so there’s still interface with the public, which makes me nervous,” Ball said.

The project will only continue for a few more weeks, but students see opportunity in the use of social media in classrooms.

“The project isn’t going well so far,” freshman Sierra Smith said. “But hopefully it will get better at the end of the unit.”