Social Media Teaching

Top tips and hints

• Investigate and openly discuss professional and/or personal social media dilemmas with staff and students in educational settings
• Increase the awareness of the business models used by social media platform through discussion
• Mechanisms of revenue generation by social media platforms e.g. the of marketisation your (user) data, number or click and time spent
• The amplification of extreme voices on social media platforms
• Be aware of the scrutiny that educators can be subjected to. Related this to creating an authentic online identity with responsible social media behaviour to educate and inform
• Empower individual educators to help them and their future students to become more socially and morally aware of the impact of their online activity

As the Online Safety Bill is debated and gradually progresses through parliamentary process into UK law, it's not surprising that there is a regular focus in the UK media on the safeguarding and protection of children and young people when they're online. As a parent of two primary aged children myself, I completely understand and agree with the need for children to be safe when engaging online. However, what I am less convinced about is the manner in which the Government is implementing this - through the Department for Education and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Whether we like it or not, engaging in the online space using a range of devices and social media platforms is an increasingly important and valuable skill in contemporary life; from booking a train ticket or paying for parking, access to job opportunities and even access to some local authority services and benefits. Being more digitally aware by utilising information literacy and critical thinking skills has never been more important.

The potential benefits of social media are well documented including identity development, developing autonomy and psychological benefits (Anderson et al 2023, Frith 2017, Glazzard & Mitchell 2018 and Rosen 2011). Whilst Professor Tom Harrison of the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues states that the "...benefits the Internet brings to our lives are often underappreciated. This is, in part, down to its perceived negative impact on our wellbeing, morality" (Harrison, 2021).

When thinking about the government's current approach to children engaging online outlined by the Online Safety Bill, children can be considered as 'protected' when browsing online on school devices, but is this really the case? Are we really dealing with binary states of 'safe' and 'unsafe' when children are active online? What about when a school internet filter lets some inappropriate content through, or the content is designed to bypass these automated checks and reach a wider audience? What about before and after the school day, during weekends and holidays, when many children have access to personal mobile devices (Ofcom, 2024) that are not subject to these filters? What does this centrally regulated, reductionist approach, actually teach young people about navigating the Internet independently in an informed and responsible way? That their online safety is someone else's responsibility whilst using a school device in class, where social media and mobile devices don't seem to exist, but outside of school they're on their own? What happened to empowering learners with informed agency to enable them to prosper in the real-world of today and prepare them for the future?

Instead of this, I am an advocate of a more progressive, structured, and constructive approach to introducing social media to young people, informed by the research. An approach that focuses on educating, informing and empowering individuals to become more socially and morally aware of the impact of their online activity. Being made aware of the motivations of 'big tech' with their focus on user-engagement, duration and revisit metrics and the associated advertising revenue rather than the quality or legitimacy of the content itself. Which can lead to more extreme and provocative content gaining greater user traffic, exposure and therefore revenue. 'Big tech' has a huge part to play in addressing these revenue models and the harmful and/or fake content they can promote the creation of. Including increasing the resourcing of the removal of harmful and hateful content on a much greater scale, and at a faster pace.

If we can inform, empower and educate staff, students, parents, governors, and other stakeholders in the learning community they can develop and implement their frameworks, policies and guidance for social media use. Enabling community members to learn from one another's experiences and perspectives of sponsored, fake, or harmful content benefit from expert advice. To help inform all members to operate more safely and responsibly in the online space regardless of their physical location or chosen device.

Developing advice to help individuals to reduce their exposure to harmful content, to minimise its negative impact when it is viewed by maintaining channels of communication at all levels within and beyond the community. Learning more why this type of content is produced, where to turn for help and support in dealing with this and the range of feelings they may experience are also key elements. Doing this can help users:

• Be more aware of sponsored, fake, or harmful content online
• Be less exposed to harmful content through increased awareness
• Avoid sharing this type of content, either intentionally or unintentionally
• Avoid creating this type of content, either intentionally or unintentionally
• Learn to effectively report harmful content to help reduce amplification

This approach aligns with our own Carnegie School of Education School Mental Health Award. Which is a developmental framework for schools to work towards that has been recently updated in some key areas based on their work with the Molly Rose Foundation. These updates cover areas such as:

• Professional development and learning for staff
• Support for pupils, leadership and strategy to develop their organisational intelligence around and their organisational response to the potential dangers of social media within the education community

The approach is underpinned by policy papers such as the Digital Resilience Framework published by the UK Council for Internet Safety, which states "Digital resilience is a dynamic personality asset that grows from digital activation i.e. through engaging with appropriate opportunities and challenges online, rather than through avoidance and safety behaviours." It goes on to highlight the fact that digital resilience cannot be taught and instead "...is developed through online activities in safe, managed environments which enable knowledge, skills and confidence for the individual to develop and cope with the negative consequences of online stress."

If more guidance like this was actioned in our educational settings, perhaps a greater number of young people would feel more informed, empowered and therefore better prepared for engaging in the online world.