Having shared this perspective, I realize that these incidents reflect students' use of social media outside of the classroom. With the reading we've done and our classroom discussions, I'm starting to wonder if we use social media as a tool for instruction and expose our students to appropriate use, would we be able to prevent or at least lessen the problems? The best result would be if the students saw social media as a way to support their learning rather than just an outlet for their tween angst. I still have concerns especially given some of the responses to the survey in the Klein article, Social Media is Tearing Us Apart. I was particularly struck by the number of students that agreed with "the idea that 'people should accept that seeing offensive or threatening content is just a part of being online.' The responses were from high school students so this plays right into my fears that my students are just not mature enough to withstand that kind of pressure and cynicism.
I do want my students to be able to practice agency and to share their thinking and ideas in multiple ways. This is a huge emphasis at our school and I don't want to limit the creativity of our kids. I think the answer lies in the suggestions from Gilkison that we teach the "techniques" that are so much a part of social media. With TikTok, the big draw for kids is to record themselves performing or doing something entertaining to their friends. There are so many tools that we can use in the classroom for students to create but teachers still have some control over what is shared with others. We purchased iPads for all of our 3rd - 5th grade students a couple of years ago and they have become really skilled at using the Apple apps like Clips and Garage Band to create their own media presentations. With distance learning they have learned to apply those skills to Seesaw, Flipgrid, Adobe Spark, etc. I think while kids are still in elementary school we can be laying the groundwork for what's possible and still appropriate with social media as they move on to middle and high school. If we could instill in them Gwyneth Jones' mantra:
"On social media, it’s good to overshare the professional; under share the personal; and NEVER share the private. Because that’s just creepy!"
before they leave elementary school, I think we will have done our job. Even though that advice was given for us as educators, I think it can really apply to everyone. Our students can hopefully learn this through the use of tools that mimic the social media of their future.