In my last blog post, I discussed the role that social media plays in how our society learns information in a way that is relevant to our evolving world. Social media improves our collective wellbeing by bringing awareness to social issues. It allows young people to learn in a way that they can easily identify with. However, it is true that engaging in social media has several overwhelming consequences. For example, it has proven to negatively impact the mental health and livelihoods of young people in particular by increasing the risks of depression and anxiety. Also, it can be argued that social media hinders our ability to truly connect with one another by hiding behind a screen instead of interacting face-to-face. Despite these cons, I believe that social media has significant benefits that can prove useful if applied to our education system, transforming it into a way of learning that is most relevant to our current functioning society.
In my research for my previous blog, I found that students tend to grasp information more effectively when presented to them in a way that they can relate and have easy access to. As educators, teachers have the goal of encouraging students’ course engagement and accomplishing learning objectives for their respective classes. In order to achieve the highest quality of learning with social media, schools need to utilize social learning. Social learning is “a method of learning using ‘mobile devices (smart phones, tablets, or computers) to enable peer review through social media technology in eLearning’” (Blair). By using this method, it motivates students to interact with their peers as well as learn other perspectives from people around the world because all social media users are connected through one outlet. One way that social learning can be integrated is through Instagram. Students can use Instagram to create educational projects aside from the typical Powerpoint or Google Slides presentation in a way that is exciting, efficient, and readily available. With this method, peers can like and comment on each others’ posts to give their feedback and contribute their own perspective. Another way social learning can be implemented in our schools is through Facebook. In 2014, Facebook had an average of 1.28 billion monthly users, and the total number of all-time users is still increasing (Blair). In high school, many students do not get the opportunity to learn how to present themselves in the professional world. Through Facebook, students can create a professional profile and “develop resources in their field of study to complete course projects, papers, and network while searching for jobs” (Blair). There are endless possibilities in implementing social learning in schools through social media apps, all of which can prove to be effective because of their relatability and usability that comes at ease with young students.
By applying the use of social media to our education system and current curriculum, educators can take an innovative approach to teaching and increasing students’ content engagement. It can completely transform the dynamic of a classroom and a school overall. Learning and studying in a way that is most effective and comfortable improves the retainability of information, ultimately leading to students’ utmost success in a given subject or skill.
Works Cited
Blair, Risa, and Tina M. Serafini. “Integration of Education: Using Social Media Networks to Engage Students.” iiisci.org, vol.12, no. 6, 2014, http://www.iiisci.org/journal/CV$/sci/pdfs/HA312LG14.pdf. Accessed 21 Jan. 2021.
Hey Maia,
I really liked how you included that there were positives and negatives to social media and the different uses for social media. You did well explaining the extent to which social media can be used such as for school projects and also outside of school as a way to connect with friends and family. Though social media can have a large impact on mental heath, there are also plenty of resources and people on social media that can provide help for those individuals with depression or anxiety. I agree that social media can encourage students to learn and become more engaged because they are familiar with social media. Overall, very nice job:)
Maia,
I really liked how you showed both the positive as well as negative aspects of social media before stating your view on the topic. With the civilization becoming more and more technological and tech-dependent each day, its important that everyone know what resources they have at their fingertips and how they can be beneficial, especially within the classrooms.
Great work!
Maia,
Great work on this post! I love how you began with an evaluation of the pros and cons of social media; it really shows your ability to objectively analyze a topic. This post is especially interesting to me because it highlights the necessity to evolve with technology. As the world enters an increasingly hi-tech reality, it is essential that students and teachers utilize the resources available to them in order to enhance the learning experience. I definitely agree that social learning should be experimented with and applied to schools since it offers such a unique and individualized approach to education. Overall, amazing post, and I look forward to your future work.
Hey Maiaaa!! I was intrigued by your post because I had written similar blogs about this topic of negative effects social media can have on teens and youth and the importance it holds in how people can remain aware of social issues in the world today through the media. Basically we think alike 🙂 I love your idea of teachers implementing a new way of educating students through platforms they can relate to and are familiar with because it would be very beneficial for kids to learn through social learning. I liked when you said “By using this method, it motivates students to interact with their peers as well as learn other perspectives from people around the world because all social media users are connected through one outlet.” I think your ideas are very relevant and well-explained. Overall, I enjoyed reading your post, and thanks for sharing!!
Hi Maia,
I really like your ideas of how social media can be better used despite the cons it presents. You give the reader ideas that support your claim that social media can be shown in a positive light through the education system. I also like how you started off your post by recapturing what you said in your last post to connect these topics; you organized your thoughts in a clean and in a way that makes sense to the reader. Overall, I thought this was a great topic to touch on and could be a great strategy for teachers in the future.
-Maya