Undertaking this subject has shifted my thinking in relation to the value of social media in education. I started off with deeply rooted misgivings in relation to the relevance of social media in academic environments, as it was my understanding that social media celebrated superficial and fleeting connections among its participants. However, as I immersed myself in the various readings and online class discussions, I was able to envisage the great potential of Web 2.0 technologies and social media in the advancement of knowledge in a digitally dominated world (Giannikas, 2020). Not only that, but I was able to grasp the power social media has in furthering the collective construction of ideas (Giannikas, 2020), especially in educational contexts where the use of mobile technologies permits learners to connect with each other and with their instructors through a commonly shared social network (Acheampong & Agyemang, 2021).
While I habitually employ software applications in my daily library duties, such as the electronic cataloguing and circulation of learning resources, I was not aware of the potential of social media or mobile technologies in the enhancement and promotion of library services (Acheampong & Agyemang, 2021). Importantly, the creation of a library Instagram account for the first assignment has allowed me to harness social media through the promotion of the social good beyond the location of the physical library (Alfonzo, 2019; Cole, 2016). I have made an informed choice when selecting Instagram as the preferred social media platform to engage with my school teenage audience, as the appeal of this visual platform with a young demographic has been extensively highlighted in the academic literature (Alfonzo, 2019; Manca, 2020).
Reading about the benefits of social media in nurturing interpersonal trust and encouraging community participation has resonated with me and my school context (Kwon et al., 2020). I work in a diverse, all-girls high school where students are proud of their culture and where multiculturalism is celebrated through events that bring the school community together, such as Harmony Day and Traditional Dress Day. The library Instagram account acts as a reminder to students of these crucial events in the school calendar, thereby fostering identity-related use (Kwon et al., 2020). Importantly, a social media platform managed by a librarian can offer a safe space where students share their thoughts and feelings about social connection, inclusivity and tolerance (Kwon et al., 2020). I learnt that the creative potential of Instagram is particularly relevant in an era where 21st century skills are central to a well-rounded and future-focused education, as Instagram offers a platform where students can be taught the latest technologies through engagement with library and school activities (Alfonzo, 2019). In the future, I will seek the approval of the school executive body to create a real library Instagram account, which can be linked to and promoted through the official school Facebook page. This social media initiative will not only increase the exposure of the library in the school community, but also address the informational needs of tech-savvy users in a landscape where online connectivity and instant communication are the norm (Williams, 2020).
Despite the numerous advantages of using social media in education, through the course of this subject I have also learnt that mainstream platforms need to be employed with caution, owing to the challenges and dangers inherent in their mass consumption (Di Gangi et al., 2018; Manca, 2020). In a high school context, it is imperative to protect the students’ security and privacy against the threats of indiscriminate and impersonal online use of information. Therefore, the content posted on the library social media account should be carefully scrutinised by the librarian and support staff. This is important because social media platforms belong to private companies whose policies do not necessarily align with those of a public school with strict accountability rules and codes of conduct (Aitchison & Meckled-Garcia, 2021).
The field of Social Network Analysis was unknown to me prior to completing this subject (Hicks et al., 2020). It has been fascinating to learn that there is a well-established methodology in Social Sciences that identifies the structural relationships of library members and their communities. This data can greatly inform and facilitate the provision of services that are tailored to the communities of use (Hicks et al.,2020). In my school context, the students harness the learning potential of the library in different ways, some of them rely on its information resources for their school assignments, while others use it as a sanctuary amidst the hustle and bustle of school life. In the future, I will endeavour to create evaluation tools that will assess the patterns of relationships between the school community and the library. This could be attained through regular student surveys, focus groups and interviews, and the data gleaned through these tools would contribute to building an engaged community of users that take pride in their participation in the school library.
This subject has left me with invaluable insights that I will apply to my information organisation going forward. One of the key lessons has been learning about the potential of augmented and virtual reality in education, especially through facilitating reading practices among a teenage audience enchanted with virtual worlds (Hannah et al, 2019; Reynolds et al., 2020). In addition, my view of the role of the librarian has changed after reading about the impact of artificial intelligence in library contexts (Hervieux & Wheatley, 2021). I will endeavour to provide a space in my school library for the development of the latest technologies in education, while also seeking teaching partnerships with STEM specialists.
The experience of being a participant in the Facebook group has encouraged interaction between myself and other students, that has enabled peer-knowledge exchange and other professional learning groups in the future. Online communities of practice can lead to collaborative professional learning development, as social media offers a democratic platform where diverse views can be expressed (Luo & Hostetler, 2020). The blog has been a pleasurable and at times surprising experience, that has enabled insight into different perspectives on social media, and the exchange of genuine and in-depth knowledge between co-bloggers.
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References
Acheampong, E., & Agyemang, F. G. (2021). Enhancing academic library services provision in the distance learning environment with mobile technologies. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 47(1), 102279.
Aitchison, G., & Meckled-Garcia, S. (2021). Against online public shaming: Ethical problems with mass social media. Social Theory & Practice, 47(1), 1-31. https://doi.org/10.5840/soctheorpract20201117109
Alfonzo, P. (2019). Instagram in the library. Library Technology Reports, 55(2), 33-42.
Cole, Laura (2016) BiblioTech as the Re-Imagined Public Library: Where Will it Find You?
Di Gangi, P.M., Johnston, A.C., Worrell, J.L.& Thompson, S.C. (2018). What could possibly go wrong? A multi-panel Delphi study of organizational social media risk. Inf Syst Front, 20, 1097–1116.
Giannikas, C. (2020). Facebook in tertiary education: The impact of social media in e-learning. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 17(1), 3.
Hervieux, S., & Wheatley, A. (2021). Perceptions of artificial intelligence: A survey of academic librarians in Canada and the United States. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 47(1), 102270. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2020.102270
Hicks, D., Cavanagh, M. F., & VanScoy, A. (2020). Social network analysis: A methodological approach for understanding public libraries and their communities. Library & Information Science Research, 42(3), 101029.
Kwon, K. H., Shao, C., & Nah, S. (2020). Localized social media and civic life: Motivations, trust, and civic participation in local community contexts. Journal of Information Technology & Politics, 1-15.
Manca, S. (2020). Snapping, pinning, liking or texting: Investigating social media in higher education beyond Facebook. The Internet and Higher Education, 44, 100707. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.101016/j.iheduc.2019. 100707
Reynolds, K., Schofield, T., & Trujillo-Pisanty, D. (2020). Children’s magical realism for new spatial interactions: augmented reality and the David Almond archives. Children’s Literature in Education, 51(4), 502-518.
Williams, M. L. (2020). The adoption of Web 2.0 technologies in academic libraries: A comparative exploration. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 52(1), 137–149. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000618788725