As we embark on another back-to-school season, the absence of a formal social media curriculum, particularly for high school students, is again apparent. Today, digital literacy is a necessity, not a luxury. Yet, educators haven’t taken steps to ensure our youth are skilled to navigate social media’s many complexities.
Should kids be learning about social media in the streets?
Young people are exposed to Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and other social media platforms from an early age. According to a recent study by Common Sense Media, 53 per cent of kids in the U.S. have a smartphone by age 11, allowing them to create content, build online personas, and interact with peers. Meanwhile, educators continue to treat social media as just another distraction, overlooking its many negative aspects, such as cyberbullying, privacy concerns, and social media’s addictive nature and not offer substantive training on responsible use of smartphones and social media.
A 14-year-old’s behaviour on social media today will have profound consequences on their future, especially regarding employment. Nowadays, digital literacy skills are just as essential – I’d argue more essential – as reading, writing, and mathematics.
What would a high school social media curriculum look like? Despite not being an educator, I suggest the following as starting points:
Social media etiquette and safety
Social media is full of constantly evolving unwritten rules and double edge swords; hence, educators should be teaching:
- Online interaction best practices for peers, authoritative figures, and strangers
- Understanding privacy settings, content sharing permissions, and data privacy
- Identifying and avoiding scams, phishing attempts, and predatory behaviour
- Screen time management, social comparison, and social media’s potential negative impact on mental health
- Managing online conflicts, bullying, and cancel culture with emotional intelligence
Digital identity and personal branding
Students need to understand (read: take seriously) that what they post on social media will forever be tied to them. Therefore, they need the skills to judge whether what they’re about to post may put them at risk (too much information), be misconstrued, or potentially create obstacles to their future. Developing and maintaining a positive, authentic digital identity while staying safe is one of the most important skills we can teach young people.
- Understanding the concept of a personal brand – the art of becoming knowable, likable and trustable – and how to leverage social media to create a personal brand that attracts like-minded people and opportunities
- Sharing content, imagery, and messaging online in a strategic and safe manner
- Developing a cohesive voice across social platforms
- Learning how to authentically express one’s strengths, interests, and values online
- Staying on top of your digital reputation and avoiding common pitfalls like oversharing or posting controversial content
Today’s students’ future depends on taking control of their online presence and utilizing social media for authentic self-expression and career preparation rather than mindless consumption and performative posturing for views and likes, which encourage reckless posting and often result in getting into trouble online.
Social media for networking and career advancement
Young people need to learn how to grow their professional careers through social media platforms (file this under ‘life skills’).
- Creating a LinkedIn profile and how to use the platform for networking and job searches
- Making use of Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, et al, to showcase skills, portfolios, and thought leadership
- Connecting and engaging with industry influencers, brands, and career communities
- Creating a personal website or online portfolio that complements social media profiles
- Strategies for researching companies, connecting with hiring managers, and landing internships and jobs
Social media content creation and marketing
A social media curriculum would not be complete without a hands-on deep dive into content creation and digital marketing.
- Ideation and brainstorming techniques for developing engaging social media content
- Practical skills like visual design, video production, and copywriting for social
- Best practices for leveraging features like hashtags, geotags, and influencer collaborations
- Analytical skills for measuring social media performance and optimizing content
- Ethical considerations around sponsored content, influencer marketing, and digital advertising
Hands-on training will help students become savvier creators and give them a competitive edge if they pursue careers in marketing, advertising, public relations, or digital media, which are likely to see exponential growth in the coming decades.
Of course, implementing a social media education program at the high school level will have its challenges. The biggest challenge is that social media is still in its infancy and, therefore, still evolving, with new social media platforms, apps, and management tools emerging daily. Then there’s our ever-changing ‘political correctness,’ which will require educators to constantly stay on top of the social media landscape and promptly implement these changes into the curriculum.
Ultimately, the overarching goal of a social media curriculum is to empower students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate the digital landscape thoughtfully and intentionally – tools they’ll need to thrive personally and professionally in our hyper-advancing, technology-driven world.
Equipping our young people with practical social media expertise prepares them for future success. It enables them to be responsible, ethical digital citizens, which you may have noticed from your feeds is lacking. With so much of our personal and professional lives taking place online, it’s long been overdue to prepare our youth for a digitized world.
Nick Kossovan is the Customer Service Professionals Network’s Social Media Director (Executive Board Member).
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