In the modern world, students are constantly connected, something that seemingly no device policy can eliminate in either school or workplace. With this understanding, a depth of knowledge regarding what the landscape of social media looks like, as well as the benefits and danger of its use, its potential to cause distraction and its influence on learners is essential for teachers functioning in a modern education setting. Despite many negative feelings towards it, social media is not going anywhere, so understanding it better to position yourselves to cope with the challenges it poses to learners is paramount (Krutka & Carpenter, 2016; Otchie & Pedaste, 2020).

The impact of social media on concentration for students is significant and well-documented. The endless scrolling, notifications and messages pull the attention of students away from the zone of learning and can make it difficult to keep students engaged and focussed. Given students are only under our supervision for a given amount of time, helping them to build healthy boundaries and practices regarding social media and their devices is more effective than simply removing them when seen. Simple strategies like tech-free time and structured activities in online spaces help guide the use of technology to be more productive and focussed and can help students gain more balance between the benefits of digital learning and the potential distractions it inevitably brings.

The role of teachers in protecting students is more complex than ever, gone are the days where the biggest threats to students was a fight in the playground, now a myriad of threats from cyberbullying, misinformation or cyber ransom are prevalent and significantly more difficult for teachers to address. Helping students to understand what safe use of these platforms looks like, what to watch out for and the potential risks involved in careless behaviour online can go a long way to preventing harm in our students. Gaining a deep understanding of this multifaceted are of the digital landscape is critical to staying relevant in your approach and addressing the current needs of learners both inside and outside of the classroom.

Below are a series of links discussing the landscape of social media, particularly in school settings, that will serve well as a base of knowledge for educators, ensuring you are armed with the knowledge to act appropriately and in an informed nature in your classrooms.