Study: Social media belongs in school curriculum

Social media has become an indispensable part of daily life for people of all ages.

But this new form of communication is generally treated as something that should be kept out of the classroom.

In their educational studies thesis at the University of the Faroe Islands, teachers Selma Larsen and Bodil Jacobsen set out to study whether the inclusion of social media in the classroom may have a positive impact on learning in primary schools.

Social media behaviour can be taught

The study suggests that Faroese primary schools are ill-equipped to harness the benefits of the new mobile phone technology.

It also suggests that primary schools ought to do a lot more to teach pupils about how to behave on social media.

Curriculum needs an update

Jacob Eli S. Olsen, chairman of the Teachers’ Association, agrees that much more could be done in this area.

He says that the curriculum needs to be updated to include digital manners, also known as ‘netiquette’.

The study points out that although there is a need to increase the focus on ‘netiquette’ in schools, this must never take precedence over traditional learning.

Translated by prosa.fo