I have dedicated a significant amount of time over many years to helping students with math questions when I am not on campus. I have used a Smart Pen, Jing, YouTube, … Last semester I started helping my students using Instagram, and it has been an effective tool.

I give my students my Instagram username (which is in the Social Media links on this blog), and when they are having difficulty with a problem they simply take a photo and post it to Instagram. I ask them to tag me in the photo or mention me in the comments. I reply with a photo that will help them make progress by either pointing out an error or providing the next step. I type my reasoning or questions in the comments.

I also use the Instagram account in class when we have a review for an exam. I take a photo of my solution and post it to the account in real time. That way students can focus more on the reasoning and logic than worrying about copying the solution without understanding.

So, do any of you use Instagram with your classes? If so, how do you use it and what advice would you give to a newcomer trying it for the first time? Please leave a comment if you could.

Thanks,
George