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Literature Review:

Social Media in the Classroom

Adrienne Phelps

Liberty University
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Abstract

This literature review gives and overview of insight into the use of social media in the

Kindergarten through High School classroom and beyond. Within the paper, both positive and

negative aspects of social media use are presented with recommendations for how to best to

proceed as well as what to avoid when incorporating social media in the classroom. The authors

break down the information into sections for Kindergarten through High School use and higher

educational use respectively to guide readers for ease of use and flow. The information presented

within the articles are synthesized within the text in a smooth and guiding manner. By doing so,

the study demonstrates how and when to utilize the media at hand to engage and guide students

both in and out of the classroom. Addressed within the discussion are worries that both the

professor and/or students may have in regards to the use of social media.

Keywords: social media, social networking

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Social Media in the Classroom

Today’s society is driven by the use of technology in almost all aspects of day to day life.

Adults and children alike are walking around with cell phones and tablets that give them access

to the internet no matter where they may be in the world. Cell phones, computers, and tablets

have opened the door to many forms of media use that was never available to the general public

until the last 10 to 15 years. A large part of the technology that is being used has come in the

form of social media. Ten years ago, the Higher Education Research Institute released a report

stating 94 percent of college students used social networking sites every week (Abe & Jordan,

2013). Society loves the convenience of these types of media because they allow them to keep in

touch with family, friends, and colleagues worldwide. Media such as Snapchat, Facebook, and

Twitter have become so popular that even elementary school students are familiar with its use.

For this reason, there has been an increased push to discuss and incorporate the use of social

networking sites into classrooms across all grade levels. Teachers have even found that media

such as Twitter to be a fun and creative way to approach professional development (Krutka &

Carpenter, 2016). This paper synthesizes different articles on the use of social media in

Kindergarten through High School classrooms and beyond. Both the benefits and drawbacks of

media use as well as recommendations for classroom incorporation are present.

Discussion

Social media is being used in almost all forms of higher education. Universities with

online programs use programs such as blackboard, YouTube, Twitter, and media streaming

programs to provide education that is equivalent to traditional brick and mortar classrooms. As

the popularity of these types of programs has grown, the discussion and implementation of these

programs have trickled down into the Kindergarten through High School classroom
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environments. Understanding the challenges and impacts that using social media present is

highly important to educators that intend to use it.

Kindergarten Through High School Classrooms

Almost everywhere you look, a child has some type of electronic device in their

possession. Technology has become such a mainstay that children are coming to school with

diminished motor skills but a greater knowledge of how to use technology. Due to these factors,

teachers are not only having to find new ways to engage learners, they are also having to teach

technology skills to prepare students for their future. Social media is one form of technology

students love to engage in and is accessible to everyone. However, this technology presents

many challenges. In this paper, Guidelines for Using Social Media in the Classroom and Using

Facebook and Other SNSs in Kindergarten through High School Classrooms were used to assess

the benefits as well as the drawbacks faced in a Kindergarten through High School classroom in

regards to social media use. In Guidelines for Using Social Media in Kindergarten through High

School Classrooms, Stephanie Huffman explains the benefits and drawbacks to use in the

classroom and states that social media is not going anywhere. With this in mind, she gives a

comprehensive guide for how to use it safely and effectively. Then in Using Facebook and other

SNSs in Kindergarten through High School Classrooms, Keith Howard explains some benefits

and challenges but focuses on the ethical considerations that follow along.

Benefits. Use of social media has many benefits for students in a Kindergarten through

High School classroom. These tools provide student with the opportunity to learn by presenting

parts of themselves, building relationships, exposure to other groups and perspectives, and self –

management (Huffmann, 2014, p.1). Students using these types of media also gain a more global

view because they are able to engage with other learners from all around the world. As students
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collaborate with others using social media, an understanding of digital citizenship is gained.

Most older students, especially in high school, already tend to have a social media platform. By

incorporating this media, students are able to interact with peers in a format they are used to and

this leads to greater engagement in the classroom (Howard, 2013, p.44).

Drawbacks. For teachers that are not overly familiar with social media, or even

technology in general, use can be extremely intimidating. There are many drawbacks that often

give teachers pause when they consider its implementation. In today’s technological age, cyber

bullying has become a major factor. The first issue is the amount of access the use of social

media provides. Students can put almost anything they want out in cyberspace. What they do not

realize is that the information is out there forever and there is a major lack of privacy in

cyberspace. It also allows students more access to each other which has increased bullying which

is now called cyber bullying.

School districts must put in place developed policies and guidelines that help guide the

students and teachers without restricting them to such a minimal amount of use that it is not

worth the bother (Huffman, 2014, p.49). Personal use of social media has brought with it the

problem of making sure teachers & students do not interact in an inappropriate manner. These

issues could be something as harmless as a post or as big as a sexual relationship and do not

always come from the teacher. They can arise from students as well. Many schools have enacted

policies that monitor teachers’ social media, forbidding teachers to friend students on social

media, and enacted policies that align with state laws (Howard, 2013, p.47).

Guidelines. Social media use has grown so rapidly that guidelines have also rapidly been

created. The first thing that needs to be addressed is assessing the knowledge of media for both

the students and the teacher (Huffman, 2014, p.50). A great way to make sure teachers know
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what they are doing is to get to know the technology specialist. This specialist has widespread

knowledge of the accessible media, district policy, and best ways to access and use the available

media (Lorizzo & Ertmer, 2014, p.32). Once the teacher is familiar with the available media and

its use, students should be taught about the issues such as bullying, what to do if inappropriate

media pops up, and how to use the technology. Teachers should also spend a large portion of

time teaching guidelines of their expectations and rules for use that are well understood and

posted in the classroom for students to follow.

Higher Education

Higher education has become more accessible today than it was 50 years ago. This is in

part due to the addition of the online classroom. Schools use programs such as blackboard,

twitter, and youtube within their designed lesson plans. The use of social media in these types of

learning environments provides instructors with exciting ways to engage students in discussions

while encouraging students to interact more with their peers which increases student engagement

(Abe & Jordan, 2013, p.1). This section synthesizes information on use of social media in higher

education settings. The four articles, Integrating Social Media in the Classroom, “Choose,

Explore, Analyze”: A Multi-Tired Approach to Social Media in the Classroom, “What’s Going

On?: Challenges and Opportunities for Social Media Use in the Classroom, and Double Edged

Sword: Social Media use in the Classroom all offer unique views on the benefits and drawback

of social media use. While offering the benefits and drawbacks that are important, they also offer

ideas for use and implementation

Benefits. All articles agree that one of the biggest benefits of social media use is always

going to be the ability to reach out to people across the world. This is especially important in

higher level classes. Students are able to take classes and interact with others no matter what
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their location in the world. Using social media is comfortable for many students and faculty

because it is something they are familiar with and easily accessible for their use (Vie, 2015,

P.37). With this ease and familiarity, students are more likely to open up and try new things for

the class they are taking. When they are comfortable, they are easier to engage and push.

Many instructors are using YouTube and blogs to engage students in learning. These

types of media offer a unique opportunity that students online might not have otherwise.

Chromey, Duschere, Pruett, and Vareberg (2016) share that students can upload speeches to

YouTube and gain feedback from others (p.10). Video posts on blogs and YouTube allow

students the ability to see themselves as well as others to see and hear them. It can also be used

as a way to present information within the class the student is taking as a form of a speech or

presentation which would not be available in an online class otherwise.

Drawbacks: Like social media in the Kindergarten through High School classroom, there

are drawbacks to the use of social media in the higher-level classes. Personal Privacy is a worry

for higher level students but unlike Kindergarten through High School classrooms, higher level

students have an understanding of privacy settings, but lack an understanding of how the data is

used for economic value such as advertising (Rosatelli, 2015, p.20). What they do on social

media is used to generate ads that pop up in their feeds. Data is not the only worry when using

social media for higher level learners. When students participate in public discussions, they often

have people that get upset and post harassing information that some students are not equipped to

deal with. People can get very nasty and students do not like to deal with these issues.

Another issue is that not all students want to use social media. Some students and faculty

do not feel comfortable with opening the up to students because of the level of self-disclosure

(Abe & Jordan, 2013, p 19). Social media has a tendency to create more transparency of personal
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issues and many people are not comfortable with this. Even though this type pf media opens

transparency, it does not allow for people to read body and facial language which often leads to a

misunderstanding of the tone with which comments are delivered (Abe and Jordan, 2013, p.19).

Guidelines: Challenges often offer unique windows for opportunities. The articles offer

guidelines to implementation for social media use as well as ideas for use. Meghan Rosatelli

(2015) recommends using the “Choose, Explore, Analyze” approach. This approach breaks down

steps with which to implement use. The first step is to choose the right social media platform that

best fits the needs of the class as well as the students. By doing so, the students become more

engaged in the learning process. The second step is to explore the benefits and drawbacks of the

media which will be used. Discussing these with the class will create an understanding with

students as well as bring any issues the students might have to the forefront. The last step is to

analyze how the interactions went. This can be done individually and with students and leads to

deeper level thinking.

In their article Double Edged Sword: Social Media Use in the Classroom (2016),

Chromey and associates recommend asking five questions to determine if social media use is

necessary for the class. The questions are:

1. Can students participate without giving access to personal information?

2. Are more effective alternatives available?

3. Is student participation a requirement or voluntary?

4. Is the purpose of use for a grade or announcement?

5. Will the students perceive the use of social media as a hassle or a convenience?

Asking these questions will combat many stressors and make sure that use is not going to be

inappropriate.
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One major item that all articles agree on is the fact that educators must make sure that

students have a solid understanding of how the media platform that is being used works. If

students do not understand how the media works, students are going to become frustrated,

disengaged, and will struggle with success in the classwork.

Conclusion and Areas for Further Research

Social media is a highly valuable tool to use to reach todays learners. While some see the

use of the media in the classroom as a major hassle, the benefits of social media greatly outweigh

the drawbacks. Educators must learn to adapt to these types of learning lest they be left behind.

Social media can improve or offset the delivery of material while helping develop important

skills in a cost-effective way (Abe & Jordan, 2013, p.30). While social media is used in a variety

of classrooms and in a variety of different ways, it does offer many benefits as well as

drawbacks. When using social media for classroom applications, students are able to connect

with instructors and other students worldwide in a more personal manner while providing an

immediate access to information. With benefits always comes drawbacks. Privacy and

personal/professional relationship boundaries lead the pack in regards to challenges (Vie, 2015,

p.41). To successfully implement social media use in the classroom, teachers must train students

to use material properly, require minimal personal information, and make the learning productive

with a set purpose.

When reviewing the materials in the presented articles, there are several areas that present

themselves for further review. First, there is a lack of information in regards to social media use

in the K-12 classroom. The area of lacking is specifically how and when use would be

appropriate in elementary and middle school classrooms. Secondly, most articles focus on the

use of medias such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. To better round out the information,
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there should be research into blogs, google docs, and other applicable media. As social media

grows in use and accessibility, teachers must realize that these are the gateway to the future. By

embracing this media, students will be more engaged while they gain knowledge that they will

use in the future.

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References

Abe, P., & Jordan, N. A. (2013). Integrating social media into the classroom curriculum. About

Campus, 18(1), 16-20. doi:10.1002/abc.21107

Bhardwaj, R.K. (2017). Academic social networking sites. Information and Learning

Science, 118(5/6), 298-316. Di:10.1108/ils-03-2017-0012

Chromey, K. J., Duchsherer, A., Pruett, J., & Vareberg, K. (2015). Double-edged sword: Social

media use in the classroom. Educational Media International, 53(1), 1-12.

doi:10.1080/09523987.2016.1189259

Howard, K. (2013). Using Facebook and other SNSs in K-12 classrooms: Ethical considerations

for safe social networking. Issues in Teacher Education, 22(2), 39-54. Retrieved from

https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/education_articles/50/

Krutka, D. G., & Carpenter, J. P. (2016). Participatory learning through social media: How and

why social studies educators use twitter. Contemporary Issues in Technology and

Teacher Education, 16(1), 38-59. Retrieved from http://www.citejournal.org/volume

16/issue-1-16/social-studies/participatory-learning-through-social-media-how-and-why

social-studies-educators-use-twitter

Loizzo, J., & Ertmer, P. A. (2014, March-April), 10 tips for implementing social media in the

Classroom. Learning & Leading with Technology, 41(6), 32+. Retrieved from

http://www.learningandleading-

digital.com/learning_leading/march_april_2014?pg=34#pg34

Rosatelli, M. (2015). "Choose, explore, analyze": A multi-tiered approach to social media in the

classroom. The Journal of Faculty Development, 29(2), 17-22.

Vie, S. (2015). What's going on? Challenges and opportunities for social media use in the
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writing classroom. The Journal of Faculty Development, 29(2), 33-44. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282912724_What's_Going_On_Challenges_an

d_Opportunities_for_Social_Media_Use_in_the_Writing_Classroom