Media Education in Relation to Social Media and Instant Messaging

Getting Started

www.pexels.com Keterina Holmes

When it comes to social media, schools tend to adopt different positions. It’s a general consensus that they’re useful when it comes to sharing information or organising the school tasks. And at the same time, the social networking is blamed for the lack of attention in students during classes.

But an increasing trend of adopting social media in school is starting to show. And since students already devote a lot of time for social media and connecting with others outside school hours, why not do it during school as well?

It’s a matter of practicability, really, because it makes perfect sense to use the online universe to communicate with your students since they’re already there most of the time. There’s no need for another case study about the usage of social media in schools. You simply need to walk through the hallways of any school or colleague to see kids of all ages totally immersed in their smartphones. Browsing their news feed, sharing photos on Instagram of sending Snapchat messages has become a part of their daily routine.

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Exercise

In a small group, consider how social media supports young people and also educators teach. The below are a aspect of quality of teaching and this is followed by the opportunities and impact of digital technology and social media:

Provision of quality educational content = Learners and educators have access to a multitude of additional online educational content as well as being able to create new digital content that can support education.

Tailoring approach to deliver personalised learning = A range of digital tools and services (apps, games, websites, etc.) allow educators to offer several approaches to learning and learners can choose the approach that best suits them.

Collaborating with others to test understanding of new knowledge and skills = Educators can offer learners the opportunity to collaborate online with others from across the world in addition to their peers within their school or early years setting

Engaging and motivating learners = Educators have access to a range of engaging digital tools and services.

Ensuring education is relevant to learners’ experience of the world = Educators can deliver learning in a digital context using digital tools and services. This better aligns with learners’ experience of today’s digital world.

Opening experiences and opportunities for learners = Educators can provide learners with access to a range of digital resources which allow ‘anytime/ anywhere learning’ and build a level of digital skills which will be vital in today’s digital world.

Providing quality assessment, personalised feedback, and data to inform subsequent learning and teaching = Educators can reduce workload by using appropriate digital assessments that provide instant results and personalised feedback. This frees time for focusing on next steps and improvement.

Allowing sufficient time for learning and teaching, enabling learners to develop their knowledge and skills = Online digital networks allow educators to share resources and digital tools and services expedite lesson planning. Digital assessment eliminates marking time. The time saved can be devoted to quality learning and teaching.

Equity of educational choice = Live video streaming and digital tools and social media allow the potential for learners to study subjects via online distance learning

What you learn in this course

- State why media education in relation to Social Media and Instant Messaging is already relevant in this age group.
- Classify which contents need to be addressed in the field of media education.
- Pass on rules on behaviour in chats, netiquette etc. in a comprehensible way.
- Name methods of media education, and explain which methods can be used to implement media education in relation to Social Media, Instant Messaging and problematic online communication in this age group at home.
- Develop tips on how parents can implement media education at home and how they can handle these devices and contents as safely as possible.
- Classify problems caused by parents and formulate solution strategies.

Get ready: Tips for MediaParent consultants

The education at both primary and secondary level plays a pivotal role and is held responsible for the development of society. Therefore, primary and seconday education can be made effective with the use of educational technology. The schools are using educational technology including use of internet and instant messaging in curriculum development, in learning process and in the evaluation of learners.

Students use social media primarily to maintain relations. Social media accomplishes different communication needs for such users. Relations through the computer enables communication by letting users keep in touch with family and friends in a convenient way. They also use it as a way to learn about social events.