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Social Media | Feature

Pros and Cons of Social Media in the Classroom

  • By Karen Lederer
  • 01/19/12

There’s an ongoing debate about the role social media should play in education. Advocates point out the benefits that social media provides for today's digital learners while critics call for regulation and for removing social media from classrooms. Finding a middle ground has become a challenge.

As an educational tool, social media enriches the learning experience by allowing students and teachers to connect and interact in new, exciting ways. Web sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn provide a platform where users can dialog, exchange ideas, and find answers to questions. These sites are designed to foster collaboration and discussion.

Despite these benefits, critics argue that there are serious risks to using social media in the classroom. What are these risks—and do they outweigh the potential for opportunity?

PROS

Educational Tool Today’s students arrive on campus, fluent in Web and social networking technologies. Educators can leverage this knowledge to enrich the learning experience. With social media, instructors can foster collaboration and discussion, create meaningful dialogue, exchange ideas, and boost student interaction.

Enhance Student Engagement Social media is an effective way to increase student engagement and build better communication skills. Students who rarely raise a hand in class may feel more comfortable expressing themselves on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. Social networking platforms enable teachers to establish “back channels” that foster discussion and surface ideas that students are too shy or intimidated to voice out loud.

Improve Communication Among Students and Teachers Facebook and Twitter can enhance communication among students and teachers. Educators can answer students’ questions via a Facebook page or Twitter feed, post homework assignments and lesson plans, send messages and updates, schedule or announce upcoming events, and share interesting Web sites and multimedia content. Students can use Twitter to get help from instructors or other students. A great way for instructors to give participation points in addition to in class participation is by having students tweet about something that was discussed in class.

Preparing Students for Successful Employment Students entering the workforce can use social networking sites to network and find employment. With LinkedIn, students can establish a professional web presence, post a resume, research a target company or school, and connect with other job seekers and employers. College career centers and alumni associations are using Twitter to broadcast job openings and internships. Students should follow businesses or professional organizations on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on new opportunities and important developments in their field.

CONS

Social Media can be a Distraction A common complaint among educators is that social media is distracting in the classroom. These instructors maintain that tools like Facebook and Twitter divert students' attention away from what's happening in class and are ultimately disruptive to the learning process. With the possibility that the use of social media tools can be an invitation for students to goof off, instructors should make sure they won't be abused.

Cyberbullying While social networking sites provide a way for students and teachers to connect, they can be a weapon of malicious behavior--even on college campuses. In a study about cyberbullying at Indiana State University, researchers Christine Macdonald and Bridget Roberts-Pittman found that almost 22 percent of college students admit to being harassed online. Of this group, 25 percent report they were bullied through a social networking site. Instructors who use social media as part of their course activities should be aware of potential dangers and plan to intervene on minor incidents before they become more serious. "By intervening at minor behaviors, we can stop more severe negative behaviors," said Macdonald. "We must insist on civil and respectful behavior."

Discouraging Face-to-Face Communication Some educators are concerned that while real-time digital stream may create a safe harbor for students who are uncomfortable expressing themselves, students are missing valuable lessons in real-life social skills. Students may find themselves at a disadvantage during college admission or job interviews when they need to command attention and deliver a coherent message. At social gatherings and in personal relationships, they need to be able to effectively express themselves and connect with others.

Ultimately, while the debate continues over what role social media should play in the classroom, no one can argue the influence that social networking has on today's students. This tech-savvy generation conducts much of their life through social media channels. Not surprisingly, they're already using YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter as tools for learning and collaboration. They expect that their campuses will follow suit. With this in mind, it seems prudent for today's institutions to get on the social media train and find ways to successfully integrate these tools into the classroom.

Comments

Thu, Apr 19, 2012

Social network are bad because we become addicted to it.

Thu, Feb 23, 2012 marisha ohio

I am looking for articles to use for my research paper. It's based on how social media affects school and work. This article would be better if there was some type of statistical information to support these comments.

Tue, Feb 21, 2012 Elayn Mckean

http://www.entouragepoint.com/ DOT in classroom have its pros and cons for the student and for the instructor. It is a creative way of teaching and learning if used in the right way. If not,it could be a bad influence for the students.

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 Bill Houston, TX

From your post it appears I've hit a nerve. Not my intention, but so be it. Here are a couple of sources. For more you can google "negative effects of social networking". ACM Digital Library
Finding a happy medium: Explaining the negative effects of electronic communication on social life at work

Science News
Social Networking's Good and Bad Impacts On Kids

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 Editor

I would like to see that research, Bill. In particular I'd be curious how the researchers measured student comfort levels with self-indulgence. Electrodes? --D.N.

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 Bill Houston, TX

Research indicates that use of social media is not making our students better communicators or collaborators. They become used to and comfortable with the self indulgent "I talk...you talk" of social media at the cost of understanding and mastering the give and take of communication and collaboration with another person or group of people. Creativity and a broader spectrum of thought suffer because the skills used in building off of each other's ideas are weakened. Use of social media in education will eventually find it's place... but building better communicators isn't part of it.

Tue, Feb 7, 2012 haha Jackson MS

almost 15 years ago, I tried to develop virtual class for some students group. I found the tool was not good enough to use for students because of communication problems. The tool has many functions for communication. the tools can not extend human communication channels. After that I do not trust much computer mediated education. Recently I allowed students to use smart-device at class room for their studying. I watched for several semesters and keep track of their performance. from this watch I found they just exposed to new tech. tools not learning and contraction on topics that they should understand. The student believe that faculty just use book and resource not interpreting between lines and words. Many students who are using Smart-tools are not good in exam and actual skill in my classes. I am teaching computer science courses. Please don't get a illusion line dot com and some computer scientist in 1980.

Wed, Feb 1, 2012 Sara

Wow. The "cons" listed above can be applied to any tool used in the classroom. I'm reminded of #pencilchat on Twitter. Pencils should not be allowed in the classroom because they are distractions. Kids can become engaged in using pencils and not pay attention. It has been recorded that 90 percent use pencils during a lecture! Further, they can use them to write harassing & hurtful messages and send them anonymously, totally untraceable to the sender. And, of course using a pencil indeed DOES discourage face-to-face communication. Kids are busy writing words with a pencil and not communicating with each other. But in addition to the cons listed above, I might also add use of pencils can also be discriminatory -- some kids in some districts might have better pencils than others. Sorry. The con list just isn't a valid one.

Mon, Jan 30, 2012 Jen Bouchard

Great job pointing out the pros and cons. However, I believe the pros far outweigh the cons. Those cons are merely challenges to overcome, not roadblocks to usage. There are many benefits to using social media in the classroom, and one of the most important is the digital literacy students gain. Fluency in social media, social networking, and collaboration are key skills students need to be prepared for a career in the 21st century. In addition, by familiarizing and teaching students appropriate digital etiquette now, they’re better able to avoid making costly mistakes with their future and career, such as not getting a job because of their inappropriate Facebook pictures. We have been integrating social media, among other technologies, into our academic programs at Post University to help prepare students for their digital future. We, and all educators are here to help prepare students for the future. Enhancing digital literacy is a critical component to that preparation. Jen Bouchard Post University Academic Program Manager, M.Ed. Teaching & Learning http://blog.post.edu

Sat, Jan 28, 2012 Classof1 http://classof1.com

Well it is an interesting case you present, although you have presented multiple demerits for Social Media in classroom, I feel the biggest worry would be the distraction. But Socialmedia eventually is going to be inevitable in a students life (both social and academic), so its better that they learn the proper use of Social Media starting from school. Avoiding social media in classrooms is like saying pencils are sharp and so it should be avoided in classrooms.

Fri, Jan 27, 2012

cool

Thu, Jan 26, 2012 Karen FL

Thanks everyone for your comments! @ana boa-ventura: I will take that as a compliment! One of the reasons that I love writing this type of article is because it evokes many different reactions (all of which I love to read). The pros and cons are NOT listed in order of importance and while I don't necessarily agree or disagree with them, I believe that they are great topics for discussion.

Thu, Jan 26, 2012 Prof Nancy San Antonio, TX

Students networking via electronic means is fine. Since my digital filmmaking students work in crews of three, I'm for anything that helps them get organized efficiently. My classes at a State University have Blackboard for central communication if they can't afford the handheld bells and whistles. What I do object to is inappropriate "multi-tasking." I encourage my students to take notes using any electronic device they want or low tech pen and paper. If I'm lecturing or showing a film, however, and I catch students staring at a tiny screen, obviously following facebook or twitter or answering email, I ask them to leave. University students need to know what RUDE means and this is it. I consider myself in that 1% of engaging professors that one of the other commentators mentioned. But even if I were in the bottom 99%, that is irrelevant to students focusing on the task at hand and making the most of a subject they have chosen to take, even if it's a requirement. This is the "fun" curriculum debate all over again. The problem is advanced concepts and abstract thinking, even if they are presented in an entertaining manner, are not "fun" for many people. The "fun" curriculum encourages learners to believe that if the subject isn't "fun," it's not worth learning. The smart students figure out that to learn sometimes you have to be uncomfortable and have an attention span longer than a tweet. Pandering to the use of "social networking" to make learning palatable is still ultimately a disservice to the students (via the "fun" curriculum), except as I have outlined at the beginning of this letter. There's another issue. As pointed out in a recent Campus Tech article, professors may be in danger of lawsuits and/or harassment if we network with our students over Facebook, Twitter, etc. with all the best of intentions. I was shocked to see it may be seen as inappropriate fraternization and have refused to friend any more students and may unfriend all but graduates. From the tone of the article, though, the prohibition would appear to extend to students who have graduated. The openness of social media, for all its pros, is not only a present danger to students (divulging of private info, cyberbullying) and a future danger (checks by employers) but also a present danger to professors who want to keep their jobs. As in all things, keep your wits about you.

Wed, Jan 25, 2012 Another Brian

The author does not present much evidence for the pros and cons (one study of cyberbullying). The last pro, preparing students for successful employment, seems more about how to use the a social networking tool effectively rather than about how to use a social networking tool to learn. The first Brian brings up the example of the telephone as new technology in a prior age. To continue along that line, students became "fluent" in using the telephone and that technology did not go away, but does that mean that using a telephone was some critical technology that was a "must" to be incorporated into educational settings to liven them up? Why is it critical to use social networking technology in education? It may be useful, but just saying that it exists and is not going away doesn't mean that it is worthwhile. I would love to see more evidence for the pros and cons.

Wed, Jan 25, 2012 Lee Boston

I'm not surprised by the list on the cons side of this issue. This list has been around for a while and I think it is mostly indicative of a resistance to change. However, I'm continually surprised by how persistent faculty resistance has been from some quarters. It is as if they have chosen to stand still, leaning on the virtues of what once worked, reluctantly making a few concessions, but only when forced to, while our students race on ahead of us. It's almost trite to say that change isn't easy for any of us, because we all know from first hand experience that change can be very difficult and disruptive. But, we also know from experience, that regardless of the degree of personal pain or disruption, change will win the day. To me the big question is do we face the force of change head on and mold it and ourselves into something positive, or do we let it mow us down? Our students on the whole don't show this resistance. In terms of information and social technologies they don't think in terms of discontinuity or change. For the most part their lives are thoroughly intertwined and integrated with the many Internet-based-social technologies at their disposal. And in many cases they wait impatiently for the technology to catch up, to evolve and to become more relevant to them. Perhaps our institutions fail us when they don't take a more progressive role and help us find ways to adapt to the changes that are sweeping over all of our lives. Clearly some of us need help and evidently many educational institutions are struggling with how to engage with their faculty and students on these issues. Do we wait and hope that retirement will close the gap? To restate some of the points in Karen Lederer's final paragraph -- The new technologies and the affordances they bring are not going away. The way forward will not be found in drawing lines in the sand, or in debating competing lists of pros and cons. The way forward starts with all of us taking a sober and realistic appraisal of what IS and then experimenting with how many different, challenging, and exciting ways we can find to adapt and leverage this world of new possibilities. I think we'll find our way more quickly if we follow our children's lead.

Wed, Jan 25, 2012 JR

I think the author missed the boat on including Privacy of information and the ability to be forgotten as allowed in Europe *but not the U.S. Also, while it may be a tool for some skills or occupations, it is not required for all. We need to remember to teach our students about their online reputation and privacy of their information along with using these tools effectively for a job or career.

Wed, Jan 25, 2012 Steve Macleod University Employee

I have seen first hand that social media in the classroom creates havoc when it is not part of a planned assignment - the biggest con should have been not only distraction but the encouragement for students to completely goof off in the class - twitter and chat conversations do not center around studies but rather girl friends and boy friends, parties, dates, shopping, gossip etc - we have to be honest here, a great teacher brings in other media and documentation, audio visual, and web site information shared by the instructor with the class and not the class being sent to roam the world blindly - lastly social media in the class leads to a very introverted selfish socioty where young adults will learn to become addicted to devices that they will use while driving, talking loudly in public places, and ignoring their family members whom they should learn to love more instead of detaching themselves into their own small dream world which BTW includes video games.

Wed, Jan 25, 2012 ana boa-ventura Houston, TX

No disrespect to the author, but I found the comments as enlightening or more than the text. While i'd say i agree with you all (commentators before me:)) a couple of notes: Steve I agree. The problem may be that we all tend to consider ourselves as good storytellers. And as you saw in 99% of the cases (I'd say 99.999:)) we're just not. Brian: I think that the problem is that the rule ' allowed mobile devices in class ' or not... creates different communication settings. But I still think it's up to the teachers to come up with ways of using those devices *about* what is being discussed in class. And I think we desperately need good resources/ showcases of exactly this. Not saying i'm skeptical of that educational sue. Quite the contrary. Neverthless we need folks in schools to disseminate experiences - practice research. Thanks for the article and the comments!

Wed, Jan 25, 2012 Steve Taffee Palo Alto, CA

If you live by the ocean, you teach your kids to swim. Social media does represent a threat to professor-centric models of education. This is mostly a good thing; exceptions for the truly gifted storytellers and lecturers who can and should hold an audience in rapt attention as an integral part of the learning experience. The - ahem - 1%.

Wed, Jan 25, 2012 Brian

Wow, the cons list provides a seriously weak argument against using social media in the classroom. Distraction is the first con? Really? It is a distraction when you simply add social media on top of already boring and meaningless assignment or activity. Use new technology to create new experiences and learning opportunities for students and they won't be distracted by it. Discouraging face-to-face communication ... I hear that line a lot. Go in any school cafeteria and that point will be proven wrong. That is a myth and in fact social media has increased the face-to-face meeting opportunities for many educators and students. That first interview for a new college graduate might be through Skype or video chat. The same myth was used when telephones were invented and rolled out across America. The nay-sayers thought that families would never meet up again and no one would go tot he town to gather. Just like when VHS tapes came out and became popular and the nay-sayers said it would kill the movie industry and theaters. Neither happened and the role of an educator in today's world should be to help students navigate all the various forms of communication now available to us. Figure out which world you are preparing your students for; your past or their future.

Wed, Jan 25, 2012 JF

As in all things education, differentiation is key. You don't use one method to teach or encourage participation, you use multiple methods. Social Media can have a place just as classroom discussion and hands-on activity has a place. Just remember, it should only be one of many tools used in the course, not the only one.

Thu, Jan 19, 2012 @jamestsanders San Francisco

Pro: Decent Content Con: Two pop-ups to read 1 article

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