Social Media Reflection

This week I read the article “TikToks for Change: How Students are Using Social Media to Advocate for Issues They Care About”. This article piqued my interest because I like to watch TikTok videos and I think some videos are very informative, and it’s a fun and simple way to learn about what is going on in the world around us. I was also interested in this video because I would like to learn how to teach students to advocate for issues they care about using social media. 

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This article stated many great points, one of them being that “when students’ voices are heard, they are eight times more likely to be engaged in the classroom” (2024). This is especially important because we, as teachers, are always trying to find ways to engage our students, motivate them to participate, to think on their own, to be creative learners, and this article is stating that we need to listen to our students, encourage them to use their voice, and demonstrate to them that they are being heard. 

In the article, the non-profit organization “Project Unloaded” was discussed. It is a non-profit organization working to change the narrative on gun violence and other important issues. Project Unloaded works with students through the use of social media, specifically TikTok. You can watch a video of the campaign here. Students are using TikTok to campaign about the issue of gun violence. This campaign has been very effective with students. 15% of students reported that their view on this issue changed after seeing Project Unloaded campaigns online. This is a great example for teachers to be inspired, and encourage their students to use their voice to advocate for issues they care about because their voice and actions can be very powerful and reach many other students across the world. 

Nowadays many students and adults receive their news through social media, and when used correctly social media can be a powerful tool to reach people from all over the world who are passionate about the same issues as them. I also agree with the statement, “when students are empowered to share their voices, they learn to make responsible decisions and advocate for themselves. Students, no matter their age, have the power to make substantial changes in their schools, communities, and the world” (2024). It is now the teachers responsibility to show students how they can use social media effectively to advocate for what they care about. It is also our responsibility, as teachers, to demonstrate proper use of social media inside and outside of the classroom. The first step is to teach our students how to be responsible digital citizens. How will you teach your students to be responsible digital citizens? How do you plan to use social media in your classroom? How can you use social media to spread awareness for the issues your students are passionate about? How can you network with parents to work as a team to help students express themselves through the use of social media? 

This week I also read the article “How to Prepare Kids for Social Media Use” by Lisa Selin Davis. This article piqued my interest because it provides parents and teachers different ideas on how to teach children to be responsible digital citizens. The article starts off by explaining that everything posted online stays there forever, like a digital tattoo, and it can seriously affect people’s careers and college admissions years later. Students need to be aware that everything they post online stays there forever, even after they delete it. It is the parents responsibility to lay the foundation and teach their children how to safely communicate online and to be cautious of what they post on their social media accounts. What do you think parents and teachers can do to prepare students to be responsible digital citizens? 

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The article also discussed the importance of parents being involved in their children’s online activities. This is something I agree with because it is important for parents to be aware of what their children are posting online, who they’re talking to, and more specifically what they are doing online. Davis states in the article that “before giving your child access to social media, set expectations for age limits, time limits, people your children can interact with, and what is OK or not OK to say”(Davis, 2021). This is very important because students are given smartphones from a very young age, even before their brains are fully developed, and they need to be taught what they can and cannot do on the internet. This starts with the parents, they need to be involved in their children’s lives and they need to teach their children and appropriately model for them how to use social media responsibly and for a good purpose. Teachers can later reinforce these skills and demonstrate how to use social media to enhance their learning experience in the classroom. At what age did you receive your first smartphone? Did you respect the minimum age requirements when creating social media accounts or did you lie about your age? Do you regret posting something from when you first opened your social media account, maybe you were oversharing? If you have older children, did you ever sit down and talk to them about how to responsibly use the internet and social media? 

Lastly, the article explained what people can do to correct their mistakes from when they posted something insensitive online. Maybe they were younger or didn’t know any better, but it is important for them to take accountability for their actions. It is important to teach students to own their mistakes and to make amends. Students need to learn to apologize and to realize that they were wrong for posting insensitive comments online. Parents and teachers can work together to teach students how to take accountability for their posts, and to teach students that their words and actions have consequences, which can negatively affect them years later when trying to get accepted into a college or a career of their choice. Teachers and parents can also teach students alternatives for expressing their anger, resentment, and/or private thoughts. Students can talk with their peers, or write in their journal. What are other ways you teach your students to express their emotions without posting everything online? Please share some strategies you use to teach your students to proactively work on their mental health.