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Just Think




Edvolve.Thinkgraphic by LeeAnn Lindsey

We’ve all heard the saying “think before you speak.” Now that we are living in a digital age, maybe this saying should be updated to think before you post, share, or like (Turner & Hicks, 2017). The use of social media is ever increasing (Tezci & Içen, 2017). There are many forms of social media in our lives today. Pew Research Center (2021) believes that some of the most popular social media platforms are Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat. They even researched how these platforms were used across different demographic groups. Below is there findings.


With so many ways to express ourselves, we really need to stop and think about what messages we are sending. Turner and Hicks (2017) point out that many times, people respond, post, or share without analyzing the message or argument that is being made. They continue by saying that just a simple like on a post is actually promoting a type of argument.
 
I feel that social media, if used correctly, can be an effective and motivating tool to use in upper grade levels. According to the results of a study by Tezci and Içen (2017), high school students’ main reason for using social media was for education and entertainment. They feel that teachers should take this into consideration and effectively add social media into the classroom. They state that this can guide students in properly using social media and in turn lessen the negative effects of it. 

Kara et al. (2020) insist that technology and social media usage help students take on leadership roles, force them to take learning risks, and facilitate the learning of others by using real world tools. Turner and Hicks (2017) state, “there are ways to help students become mindful, critical users of social media as well as active producers of accurate information” (p. 104). I love the heuristic they use for teaching students to be MINDFUL social media readers and writers. This heuristic can be found in Table 6.1 “Being a MINDFUL Reader and Writer of Social Media Arguments” from Argument in the Real World: Teaching Adolescents to Read and Write Digital Texts" by Turner and Hicks (2017).
  • M - Monitor your reading and writing
  • I - Identify the claim
  • N - Notice the evidence
  • D - Determine the framework and the mindset
  • F - Facts
  • U - Understand the counterargument
  • L - Leverage your response
As I was scrolling Facebook on June 23, 2021, I came across an article that a friend of mine shared. By the time I saw his post, he had received seventeen comments with differing opinions. Since I had just finished reading about social media arguments, I went to the public Facebook site to find the original article to see what kind of responses it was receiving. A few screenshots are shared below. 


WNEP-TV Facebook article




As you can see, this article received a lot of attention. It had been posted for 11 hours when I found it. There were 126 comments and 28 shares. This teenage girl’s emotional Snapchat message has caused quite a stir.

It was interesting to me to read the differing opinions this ruling caused. I can’t help but think that if this 14 year old was taught about arguments in social media, she might have expressed her feelings differently. I’m sure this is not the type of attention that she or her family wanted to receive. I agree with Turner and Hicks (2017) when they say that ideas and emotions are shared quickly and sometimes thoughtlessly on social media. Therefore, we as teachers should teach students to “monitor their reading and writing, analyze the argument being made, and think carefully before sharing with other readers” (p. 108). 



References

Kara, N., Geçe, E., & Çiğdem, S. (2020). Social media habits through a new media literacy perspective: A case of gifted students. Online Submission, 6(3), 191-208. https://doi.org/10.30958/ajmmc.6-3-4


Lindsey, L. ( 2019, September 4). Edvolve.Thinkgraphic. [Infographic]. Edvolve. https://www.edvolvelearning.com/blog/think-before-you-post-or-text-or-snap-a-photo-that-is#comments


Pew Research Center (2021). Use of online platforms, apps varies - sometimes widely - by demographic group. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/04/PI_2021.04.07_social-media_0-03.png?w=640


Social media. (2021, June 21). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media

Tezci, E., & Içen, M. (2017). High School Students’ Social Media Usage Habits. Online Submission, 8(27), 99-108.

Turner, K. H., & Hicks, T. (2017). Teaching adolescents to read and write digital texts: Argument in the real world. Heinemann.

WNEP-TV. Home [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved June 23, 2021, from https://www.facebook.com/Newswatch16/posts/10158603930752756


Comments

  1. Katie MaddoxJune 24, 2021 at 11:59 AM

    Dana, the main point of my blog this week was the same, educating young students about proper use before jumping into the world of it. Many studies show the potential dangers of social media and the psychological and behavioral impacts they can have, such as loss of control, family conflict, isolation or underachievement (Hernández-Martín, Martín-del-Pozo, and Iglesias-Rodríguez 2021). As Turner and Hicks mention, we want students to be able to monitor their reading and writing and carefully consider what it means to share a post (2017). This is one of the reasons why I am so passionate about educating my "tween" students on digital citizenship, even as nerdy as I may sound to the teachers! There are too many troubles made with inappropriate use occurs, and I try my best to give all students the skills and knowledge they need to interact with others online.

    Thanks for your post! We seem to have very similar thoughts! :)
    Katie

    References
    Hernández-Martín, A., Martín-del-Pozo, and Iglesias-Rodríguez, A., (2021). Pre-adolescents' digital competences in the area of safety. does frequency of social media use mean safety and more knowledge digital usage? Education and Information Technologies, 26(1), 1043-1067.

    Turner, K. H., & Hicks, T. (2017). Teaching adolescents to read and write digital texts: Argument in the real world. Heinemann. Technology and Engineering Teacher 80(20), 8-12.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Hi-Tech Teacher, Valerie MatsonJune 24, 2021 at 12:24 PM

    Hi Dana,

    Wow! What an interesting article. I agree, this girl, who was emotional at the time about something important to her, had no clue how her words would come back to haunt her. This is such a hard lesson, and not just for our students. Once something is posted, it's out there forever, even if you try to delete it. Words on a screen can also be misinterpreted. My principal always suggests making a phone call or setting up a face-to-face conference whenever a situation at school has become emotionally charged. As uncomfortable as it can be, looking into the eyes of someone else causes you to pause and choose your words carefully. It can also help you understand the other perspective. We have to teach our students to do the same even when they are sitting in the comfort of their homes behind a computer screen. Turner and Hicks (2017) warn that we all too often respond to social media in an emotional way. If we and our students can stop and think before we post, we will not be adding to the problem. Egresitz (2020) states that "there is a gap in everyday practice and best practice that needs to be addressed if we are to be successfully developing informed members of the online community and citizens of our societies (p.9). It is imperative that we as educators teach our students how to slow down and "think" before making that post.

    Thanks for sharing,
    Valerie

    References

    Egresitz, J. (2020). Teaching Digital Understanding and Citizenship: Modern Skills for the Classroom and Beyond. Technology and Engineering Teacher, 80(2), 8–12.

    Turner, K. H., & Hicks, T. (2017). Teaching adolescents to read and write digital texts: Argument
    in the real world. Heinemann.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Laney Graham June 25, 2021 at 1:44 PM

    Dana,
    Wow!! What a great example of how powerful our words can be when put on social media outlets for the world to see and critique. I wonder how this girl would have reacted if she would have thought about her response through the MINDFUL acronym. The acronym used in Figure 6.1 is such a great filter to help teach our own students in the classroom, and I believe would have most certainly served this girl well to remember in the heat of the moment. When Turner and Hicks talk about leveraging a response, they pose the question: "What will your sharing of this information mean to readers in this network?" (p. 110). I feel it is our duty as educators to help cultivate digital citizens by teaching our student the power in participating on social media. Turner and Hicks encourage educators to begin the conversation by having students understand that their participation on social media is real reading and writing (p. 113). When students can see that typing a comment is writing and others reading, this can really be a powerful conversation to have in the classroom! The acronym MINDFUL will defiantly be something I begin teaching my third-grade students this upcoming school year. I want to do everything I can to equip my students with the knowledge and understanding of what a respectful digital citizen looks like.

    Thank you for sharing!
    Laney

    References
    Turner, K. H., & Hicks, T. (2017). Teaching adolescents to read and write digital texts: Argument
    in the real world. Heinemann.

    ReplyDelete

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