Blog

The CMS Network, Lucknow and the Whatsapp Revolution

-Menaka Raman
Social Media and Content lead, Adhyayan

The world’s collective jaw dropped when Facebook acquired WhatsApp in early 2014 for a staggering US$19 billion, making it the company’s largest acquisition. 450 million people use WhatsApp across almost every mobile platform and close to 1 million new users sign up to the app every day. WhatsApp is now an integral party of our everyday lives and has permeated our off line conversations too. How many times have you said “Just WhatsApp me!” today?
In early 2014, Adhyayan went to Lucknow to conduct the AQS with the City Montessori School’s (CMS) 20 branches. This Involved 2000 teachers and leaders from CMS. Adhyayan was convinced that Social Media platforms were the most effective way of communicating with so many teachers spread across Lucknow. (To read more about the CMS Social Network Revolution, click here.)
Adhyayan’s Social Media workshop led to an unprecedented sharing of learning and teaching on Twitter and Facebook, with hundreds of teachers from twenty branches united under #CMSLeadership.
“When we started the Social Media workshop, we had some participants who didn’t know how to connect their phones to a Wi-Fi network. By the end of the week almost everyone was tweeting like a seasoned Twitter user. It was an amazing transformation” shares Isha Soni, Digitial Communications Lead, Adhyayan.
The session marked the beginning of a change in attitude towards sharing and collaboration, and there was an overwhelming desire amongst participants to use WhatsApp as a tool for communication.
This led to the creation of the Adhyayan CMS Leaders WhatsApp group in May 2014; a space that united 50 school principals, network leaders and teaching champions together.
Kavita Anand, Director, Adhyayan Asia is a member of the group.
“The WhatsApp group ensures that regular collaboration and sharing happens between the schools. The WhatsApp group has provided the teachers a way in which they could be in touch with each other on a daily basis.”
It’s been three months since its inception, and the group has become a buzzing forum which every day sees on average 50 messages with images, news and information being shared.
“Teachers share best practices and noteworthy school events while the space doubles up as a space for teachers and principals to ask for advice and get help troubleshooting situations.“ continues Kavita.
The group was so successful that a second one was recently created to accommodate more CMS members.
“The WhatsApp group has had a tremendous effect on the teachers. The best practices shared have illuminated their minds and many of them now have the confidence to try these things in their own classrooms. The quality of learning displays has sky rocketed and the effect it has had on teaching and learning is evident.” Says Spokey Wheeler, International Director, Adhyayan Asia, who is witness to the daily collaborations as a member of the WhatsApp group himself.

 

 

 

 

 

As the two group edges towards a staggering 1000 images shared, The Adhyayan CMS Leaders group is a shining example of how Social Media can connect, engage and inspire a community.