Social media destructs students’ attitudes and behaviors inside the classroom

Soc ial media refers to platforms that are either web- based or mobile applications which allow individuals or organizations to create and engage with user generated content in digital environments. Social media has grown tremendously since its launching sometime in 2006. Facebook and Twitter have especially grown much faster and captured millions of users in just a few years. It has brought a lot of advantages for the society. From progressed nations to under-developed countries, every nation is utilizing the power of social media to enhance life and use it for the betterment of the people. However, on the other hand it has also affected the society in the negative way. Just like anything which can be used for both good and bad, social media have also provided the negative and positive ways for the people. It is in the hands of the user to use to its advantage. But willingly or unwillingly it can still have negative impacts on the users.

Social media destructs student’s attitudes and behaviors inside the classroom. Modern day classrooms allow for students to bring social media and use them to accomplish their day-to-day goals. Students who choose to use these in the classroom occasionally find themselves using them, whether the instructor is aware or not. Student attitudes are influenced by the use of technology in classrooms. Students who use technology are allowed the opportunity to control their own learning. Social media provides the opportunity for students to learn at their own pace or even expand on the opportunities already offered to them. It allows for students to constantly engage in education, rather than assume education happens only in a classroom. But there are students who find social media to

be a distraction and takes away from what one student calls, “true communication.” It is interesting to observe these students making the argument that social media have no place in the classroom, but still agreeing that it is an important part of the current world. These arguments are not far-fetched. Technology has regularly been associated with distractions. These students who were completely opposed to using social media in the classroom took issue with social media already being a distraction to everyday interactions among individuals. To them, intentionally bringing distractions into the classroom was unacceptable.

While social networking sites provide a way for students and teachers to connect, they can be a weapon of malicious behavior. There are increasing reports that students are 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. We must insist on civil and respectful behavior. 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.

Also, if a student feels like they are not well equipped to engage in the class via social media, their level of perceived control will be lower than a student who might be confident in using social media. This claim is supported by students who felt like they know more about social media than their instructors understand the benefits of using social media and viewed not using social media as less beneficial.

The i nstructor should put effort into focusing on the benefits that social media can afford, but ultimately leave the choice of participation to the student. The primary findings on voluntariness show that students have a certain level of knowledge about using social media and they want that knowledge to be respected. If the instructor wants to teach students to use social media to enhance the classroom educational experience, then instructors must find a creative way to approach using social media in the classroom. The instructor must then, push into the positive attitudes students hold, set a norm of using social media, and provide the students with a choice to participate. ( Paid article)