“Brave New World?” (by a classmate)
- Write a response using the education foundation lens of the impacts of “history” being understood by students through social media.
This case study touches on a debate started in the staff room between teachers discussing the benefits versus the harms of social media, inside and outside of the classroom. Looking at this case study from a historical lens, social media could impact students’ understanding of historical events in many ways. I think social media can have both negative and positive effects, so it is normal to question whether or not it can be beneficial for the youth or potentially harmful. Either way, social media is extremely integrated into society now and seems to continue to grow, so it is almost impossible to avoid it all together. Social media can be used as a helpful tool to spread information in a way that engages young people, but it has to be done properly. An issue that rises when looking at posts anyone can make, is the legitimacy of the information being shared; misinformation spreads very fast so everyone should be careful when getting information on social media.
For me, social media has sparked an interest for history and historical events. For example, I did not know what Pompeii was until I saw pictures of what remained posted on an Instagram history account. I became intrigued with what had happened and had to research and learn as much as possible about it. Social media can also quickly spread new found information based upon previous historical knowledge, this can help everyone better understand the world and help raise awareness about the great and horrific events that have taken place throughout time. Ensuring that students know about reliable sources and how to spot misinformation or AI generated content can help reduce the harmful affects of consuming and spreading fake news.
- Implications for Practice:
This questions goes deeper now with the advancements of GenAI along with children’s unrestricted access to social media; even more misinformation is spread that appears to be real. Teaching kids how to safely use social media is important, and only using it as an addition to connection, not a replacement when able to. It is almost impossible to get rid of social media out of young people’s lives, so instead of being completely against it, teach them how to be responsible with it. At school, social media should be used for educational purposes only and only used when necessary.
As a teacher you cannot control how students use social media in their personal time, but you can try and influence how and what they consume. Providing skills and resources that students can apply to their personal lives about screen usage, misinformation, internet safety, and digital literacy can be beneficial to the overall health of kids. For inside my classroom I would only use social media for educational videos/posts, ideas, lessons, etc. Most of the younger kids usually won’t have social media so this will be less of a concern, but for the upper intermediate grades it can become much more prevalent so it is a good idea to know how to respond to it properly.
My response:
I really appreciated your balanced perspective on social media. You acknowledged both the benefits and the risks, which feels realistic given how embedded social media is in students’ lives today. Your example about learning about Pompeii through Instagram stood out to me because it shows how social media can spark curiosity and lead to deeper learning. I can relate to this, as I often come across world news or historical topics online before learning about them in other ways. Ignoring this reality would mean missing an opportunity to connect with students’ interests.
I also agree with your concern about misinformation, especially with how convincing AI-generated content has become. From a historical lens, repeated exposure to inaccurate or oversimplified information can shape how students understand the past. If students are not taught to question what they see, these narratives can easily become their “truth.” This highlights the importance of teaching critical thinking and source evaluation, not just historical content.
Your point about guiding students rather than trying to eliminate social media is especially important. As teachers, we cannot control students’ personal use, but we can help them develop the skills to navigate it responsibly. This connects strongly to digital literacy; encouraging students to ask who created the content, what perspective it represents, and whether it is supported by credible sources.
Your response made me reflect on how social media could be used more intentionally in the classroom. When used thoughtfully, it can make learning feel relevant and engaging. At the same time, it reinforces the need for guidance to prevent misinformation and shallow understanding. Overall, your post highlights the important role teachers play in helping students become critical and thoughtful consumers of information.