The use of social media is a topic which is greatly debated, with many individuals having conflicting feelings over its use and the effects it has on the world as a whole. Concurrently, the topic of technology is also quite debated, with many questioning the extent to which it should appear in our lives. When it comes to both social media and technology use in schools, the topic becomes even more complex, and many different opinions begin to surge. Personally, after having watched and read through the resources provided in the module this week, my stance on this debate in terms of its relationship to schools is a bit intricate. Since it heavily affects the mental health of students, I definitely think social media should be appropriately restricted and students should be taught media literacy, however, I think the implementation of technology as a whole in classrooms is extremely beneficial and should be promoted. In essence, I hold a positive opinion on technological tools students and educators use, while wanting to restrict social media.  

Social Media: Its Negative Role in Students’ Lives

After having watched this week’s documentary, Plugged In: The True Toxicity of Social Media, it is quite clear that social media and its algorithm are incredibly harmful for students and young individuals in general. The film presents some gruesome statistics, stating how rates of depression and anxiety in teenagers have increased by 70% in the past 25 years, and how hospital admissions for teens with eating disorders has also almost doubled in the past three years (Willett, 2019). After hearing about this, it became evident to me that social media must be limited or else its consequences will only continue to grow. However, this is incredibly difficult to implement when it is such an integral part of our students’ lives. So, the question becomes, how can we as educators help our students see the dangers of social media, and limit the amount of time they give to these apps?

It is important that educators and schools do not enforce a complete ban over cell phones or social media use, since this may face negative feedback from parents who need to stay in touch with their child throughout the day. Instead, schools can move away from implementing a ban and instead have a plan, in which they set clear guidelines for their students and can also provide guidelines for students and parents regarding personal devices (Klein, 2019). Turning to this extreme will not work with students who have technology so ingrained in their lives, but setting clear rules for how they should use their devices and social media will help them be more conscious of technology use. 

Tying into our previous examinations of critical issues, it is also important to teach students proper net etiquette, media literacy, and how to be good net citizens. As educators, we should teach our students how dangerous social media can be, how perhaps cyberbullying may appear in their lives, and give them the resources to properly tackle these obstacles. Some tips to further help students are to limit the amount of time they spend on these apps daily, and also practicing mindfulness and not choosing to post when emotions are high and they may be upset or want to post things out of impulse (Tips for healthy social media use, 2023). As educators, we must also learn to model proper technology use in our classrooms, showing students how to use these tools for educational value and good social interactions, which is why it is important to incorporate technology in the classroom. 

Technology Use: Positive Effects in the Classroom

While social media can have its negative effects, I believe that technology use and technology tools in the classroom can be incredibly beneficial for students. For example, students can use mobile devices, laptops, or tablets in the classroom to help them in creating projects, and educators can incorporate apps into lessons or the curriculum to help students understand concepts or further their investigation of concepts (Klein, 2019). Educators can use technology to help them with differentiation of instruction, and students benefit from this as they gain an active role in their learning as they choose their own avenues and tools to help them learn the concepts presented to them (Torchia, 2023). Since technology is heavily integrated into every aspect of our society, it is important for educators to become the ones to teach students how to properly use technology, instead of just banning it and then the students are unable to navigate modern interactions and infrastructures. Additionally, as they learn to use technology, we can hope that students will learn how to then navigate social media with positive interactions, breaking the pattern of the negative attitudes displayed on the various apps. 

In closing, while social media does have its negative effects and implications in students’ lives, this does not mean that the use of technology as a whole should be stripped from schools. If students are taught how to properly interact and engage with technology and its tools (such as Canva, Wakelet, Padlet, Jamboard, etc.), then they can become great learners and take advantage of these resources presented to them. It is our responsibility as educators to facilitate this learning of technology and be positive role models of how to utilize technology. As the film states, when it comes to social media and technology, know how to use it and do not abuse it (Willett, 2019). Limit your screen time, unplug from the technology regularly, and take some time to arrive at your reality outside of the virtual one we have all created. 

References:

Klein, A. (2019, September 6). Schools say no to cell phones. But is it a smart move? Education Week. Link

Tips for healthy social media use: For parents and teens. University of Utah Health | University of Utah Health. (2023, June 26). https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/2023/01/tips-healthy-social-media-use-parents-and-teens 

Torchia, R. (2023, July 10). Technology in the classroom & the benefits for K-12 schools. Technology Solutions That Drive Education. https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2022/09/benefits-integrating-technology-todays-k-12-classrooms-perfcon#:~:text=Technology%20integration%20in%20Education%20is%20important%20for%20multiple,in%20school%20and%2C%20moving%20forward%2C%20in%20their%20careers. 

Vibrant vector illustration. different speech bubbles with hand drawn… iStock. (n.d.). https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/internet-and-social-media-speech-bubbles-concept-gm1464178609-496942878?searchscope=image%2Cfilm

Willett, R. (Director). (2019). Plugged-In: The Toxicity of Social Media Revealed. [YouTube Video]. Brick in the Wall Media.