Transforming How We View Social Media
Did you ever have that teacher who made all their students put their phones in a box at the beginning of class and held them hostage until the end?
I know I did. It was my History teacher, and she was a force of nature - smart, funny, engaging, and despised it when students were on their phones in her class, especially when they were on social media. Growing up, there were definitely kids who were bold or crafty enough to check their Insta in class without the teacher noticing, and I was always torn between admiration and judgement of their quick checks. In every syllabi throughout high school and beyond, my teachers made sure to include a no-phone policy in their classroom, and by extension, no social media.
As a student and now an educator, this logic still makes sense to me for the purposes of maintaining control of the classroom and student focus, but only to an extent. After all, why fight against a social connective technology that everyone uses in their day-to-day lives?
This is not to dismiss all the evidence that's been gathered on the addictive quality of social media, not to mention the feelings of isolation and loneliness only seeing the perfect lives of others can give. With so much of their social lives conducted online, it can be all too easy for students to confuse the happiness and idealism that people express online as reality. And if even adults are having trouble separating themselves from their devices, their kids are no exception. It's no wonder teachers want to confiscate phones - they want to ensure students' focus as well as their mental well being. But how can we as educators set healthy boundaries while still allowing students to use social media?
1. Encourage students to advocate with intelligence, and practice what they preach.
A lot of people post in support of a political idea or important cause to share their beliefs digitally. Using their voice to enact change is powerful, and teachers should encourage students to continue to make their voices heard. However, educators should also teach their students to recognize biased or manipulative organizations and news sources, so that their promotion of a particular cause is based on truth. (Part of this step can be done by scheduling a meeting with school librarians!) Additionally, students should be challenged to go a step further from simply posting, and donate, volunteer, or march for their beliefs.
2. Social Media allows students to gain informal knowledge and skills, practice creativity, and form friendships.
As outlined in the above table, 30 percent of students who use social media have learned skills and knowledge outside of school, with another 24% being able to flex their creativity and form new friendships. Additionally, 20% also reported feeling less alone or isolated, a positive outcome that is encouraging to receive about this demographic due to the COVID-19 shutdown's impact on many teenagers emotional health. Social media itself is not the issue, it's the amount of time dedicated to passive online scrolling that is the issue. When students use social media to further their education, relationships, and their own personal growth, it becomes a powerful tool!
3. Use your role as an educator to model how students should behave online.
Most students now are "public by default, and private through effort" when the majority of those older than them have had the opportunity to choose what becomes public, and what remains private. As educators, we are situated well to show students how we present ourselves online, both professionally and personally, in a controlled manner. Engaging meaningfully and smartly online can inspire students to feel as though they can construct a healthy public image of themselves, and still have a significant and vocal social media presence.
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