Social media has changed the way we live, think, and act. Is it affecting education too? The reality is that it's not just our students who are using social media more and more; educators are too. We can't stop the large cultural shifts that are happening as technology advances to become more accessible, useful, and addictive. Continue reading to learn more about the costs and benefits of how social media culture is impacting our classrooms. 

Who can blame us for using social media as much as we do in 2024? Social media was our "lifeline" during the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping us informed and connected to our loved ones in the only way we could. Much of our culture now is built around our ability to connect with each other so easily and quickly. So it's no wonder we are having this conversation about social media's role in education. Turns out social media isn't all bad for our classroom. 

Students and Social Media

Social media has taken the blame for many modern classroom challenges, such as an increased lack of attention, increased behavior problems, and increased rates in depression and anxiety rates among our youth. This shouldn't surprise us. Teachers are being trained more and more to learn how to watch for signs of cyberbullying. Administrations are constantly adjusting their phone policies to help maintain the best learning environments for our students. This isn't new and is causing active disruptions to our classroom but also to our students' well-being and our own. 

It might be scary to think of how often our students use social media. They may not even be aware of themselves. A 2023 study from Pew Research found that some teens report using YouTube and TikTok "almost constantly." Half of the teens surveyed that they believed it would be hard to give up. It is, in fact, proven to be addictive to the brain physically and psychologically. Likes, comments, and shares have become dopamine hits for both kids and adults, creating reward pathways in the brain along with addictive behaviors.

And as much as we want to bash social media and blame it for all of our classroom challenges (as deserving as it may be), we can't disregard the advantages of social media in our classrooms. Our phones may be their biggest educational resource outside of their teacher and parents. Our students can get answers to their questions at their fingertips. Could this be both helpful and harmful in the long run? Sure. But to learn anything they want right in their backpack is a wonderful privilege our students get to have today. 

Social media could also improve collaboration among our students. Students can better connect to peers for questions on assignments, group projects, and studying together. Again, could this be harmful if used improperly, such as for cheating? Definitely. However social media is proving to be a powerful resource for teamwork and collaboration for our students. 

Educators and Social Media

But students aren't the only ones using social media. Teachers and parents are using social media just as much (if not more). Teachers are better able to connect with parents, streamlining their communication and ability to ask for support from parents. In the same way, educators can support other educators and obtain classroom lessons and ideas from others who teach the same grade/curriculum. Social media platforms such as TikTok and Pinterest are filled with ideas from other seasoned educators who are sharing their "teacher hacks" or lesson plans with all of us. 

So where does this leave educators? If educators are benefiting from social media, so are our students. Is it also causing harm to both teachers and students? It certainly can and will. Social media is forcing educators to embrace more technology in their classrooms while battling more distractions. The question is, can we use this for good in our classrooms? 

What We Can Do

We can't stop our students from using it. Cell phones feel like they become a basic need for many people, especially our students. Bans on phones and/or social media use at school don't solve our issues. Many studies show that educating our students to think critically is a more effective strategy for managing challenges (such as social media) than banning something outright. Here are a few ideas to make social media culture in your classroom a bit more manageable. 

• • • Know Your Boundaries. Boundaries are a great way to set up guidelines for our personal and professional success. Every teacher is different. Every class is different. Every school is different. Though banning cell phones isn't always effective, figure out in what areas you feel comfortable allowing your students to use their phones in your classroom and stick to it (if at all). 

• • • Teach Responsible Use. Kids are known to push boundaries. But for many of our students, they simply weren't taught how to use social media in a healthy and productive manner. The danger that social media presents to the safety and well-being of our students is immense. What we can do is equip our students to use their access to information as a privilege with healthy boundaries and critical thinking.

• • • Set an Example. If you're on your phone in your classroom, it might be hard to tell your students not to be. If possible, set an example of how you use your phone while you're in the presence of students. 

• • • Get Parents Involved. Though it can feel like it at times, you are not alone. Parents are also responsible for their students' success. Get in touch with parents to communicate the boundaries you've made in your classroom. 

• • • Use it to Your Advantage! Many teachers now are using social media such as YouTube Shorts or TikToks to kick off conversations in their classrooms, grab their students' attention, or introduce a topic. Social media can be a way for us to relate to our students by meeting them where they're at. If possible for your classroom, use a short YouTube video to start your lesson or use social media mediums for your assignments, such as creating private YouTube videos or printed-out Instagram templates. We can take advantage of modern culture to increase our classroom success. 

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