Having an understanding of the social media platforms that our students use can be hugely valuable for any school leader.
Although it is not imperative for schools to have a presence on platforms, such as Twitter, TikTok, or Snapchat, it is good to know how each works and what demographics it attracts.
Having a thorough understanding of the social media platforms that our students use will enable educators to identify teachable moments.
It can also help us to address and educate inappropriate behaviour and impact meaningful change. A lot of what happens online can spill into the classroom and have a detrimental effect on that child’s education.
We can gain a better insight into how students communicate online and become better equipped to deal with cyber-bullying incidents. By gaining a familiarity with the emerging social media apps, teachers may develop a better understanding of how to deal with various social problems that could arise around the school.
Snapchat and especially TikTok are the most commonly used social media platforms for teenagers and children, that is our students. TikTok is what has everyone’s attention in the digital world currently. It is a video-sharing platform used mainly to create short dance, lip-sync, and other entertaining clips. At first, TikTok was an app used almost exclusively by kids and young teenagers, but now it is attracting popularity with people of all demographics.
The engagement opportunities on TikTok are crazy right now and there are many ways schools can make it work with some planning and research. Schools must use their creativity to follow trends and may find success posting memes, videos or creating challenges.
Anyone who follows the news will acknowledge Twitter’s relevance in the world. Athletes, celebrities, and even some of our most influential world leaders create headlines daily based on something they have ‘tweeted’. Personally, I love Twitter and check it multiple times per day, but for some reason, Twitter is less prevalent in Australia when compared to other places in the world.
With so many different social media platforms – let alone strategies and tactics within these platforms – time, money and resources could quickly become exhausted. It becomes a matter of prioritising what platforms generate the best return for effort and investment. Your school’s financial position and resources will determine whether or not it is logistically practical to have a presence on these platforms.
The list of social media networks available is constantly expanding and over the coming years many more will develop, so it is always wise keep on top of the latest developments in the world of social media.
It can be hugely beneficial to gain an understanding of any emerging, popular social media platforms that could be used by students within the school.