Social media is now the main form by which we find out what is happening in the world, it’s the way people share their thoughts, look for guidance or advice from friends, share their ideas and gain creativity or simply find out how to get by in day to day tasks. It has many advantages as just mentioned however there is also a great stigma surrounding social media.
There is a consensus that the older generation are very opposed to using social media perhaps because they are not as educated with it or not in the habit of using it on a daily basis. The continuous coverage of the negative uses of social media may also add to this view point regarding inappropriate use of personal sites by professional individuals or the issue of cyber bullying amongst youngsters is also a huge talking point.
This goes on nicely to discuss can you really differentiate the use of social media between the personal and professional world. As a twenty-three year I use social media on a daily basis and have done for many years, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat are amongst a few. I find them a great way to stay in touch with friends who have moved away to live at University much like myself this year it allows me to stay in the loop of what is going on back home. I also use it as a guilty pleasure to keep up to date with the so called Celeb world. By following celebrities on twitter you are able to keep up with the latest trends and on goings. Even as someone who enjoys social media and favours it there are still parts of it which I don’t like and i can sympathise with this stigma felt by many. I think some people use it as a shield to hide behind when venting their frustrations concerning their jobs or feelings towards others. This impulse reaction of how they are feeling at that very moment in time is then up for the rest of the world to see and saved in the online universe as it were, this sadly could result in consequences in their future career paths and opportunities.
The way in which I use social media sites will definitely differ ever so slightly due to now progressing into the respectful profession of teaching. I think that in any discipline of work that deals with communities of people you have to be very aware of what you are sharing or posting. With this professional role that you are carrying out comes a lot of responsibility and values to be met. You should appear diplomatic and PG and be able to account for everything that has your stamp on it no matter the topic you are discussing. Saying this I am not insinuating that you can’t challenge others views or have an opinion yourself but you should always ask yourself what is the purpose of posting this blog/status and can I back it up in an appropriate manner.
If social media is treated in this way I believe and favour the use of it within the professional world. Especially within the area of work I am entering, I feel that it is an excellent way of stimulating children’s education. So may schools now a days have a Twitter page to highlight the school’s attainment this allows parents to gain immediate feedback about what their children are doing and highlights positive behaviour and achievement amongst individuals or class groups. It can also act as a great way in which schools or communities can share their practices and spark new ideas in organisations who are maybe lacking creativity and wanting to change things up a little. I think it sparks up communication and discussion amongst teachers and educators of all stages and is a great way in connecting different schools from all around the world. I only hope that it escalates in a positive way to benefit children’s experiences throughout their school life.
