Social Media in Education: South African Teachers Share Insights

South African teachers discuss the role of social media as a teaching tool in education. They share their insights on how these platforms enhance student engagement, facilitate communication, and support collaborative learning. The discussion highlights the challenges and benefits of integrating social media into the classroom, reflecting a shift towards a more digital and connected educational environment.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increased reliance on social media platforms for teaching. The South African Department of Basic Education mandated that schools implement online teaching and learning to salvage the disrupted 2020 school year caused by the pandemic and the temporary closure of schools.

It has become evident that this technological shift is likely to persist. Some researchers have pointed out that this change has shifted the focus of learning from teachers to students.

Young individuals aged 15 to 24, typically attending secondary school or higher education, frequently utilize social media. Incorporating social media into educational activities could make learning more appealing to this demographic, potentially enhancing their engagement and academic performance.

We are information systems researchers at the University of Cape Town, specializing in the application of information systems in education, particularly in underdeveloped communities. Our goal is to identify and propose solutions for the challenges of integrating technology into classroom settings.

Our recent research highlights the difficulties secondary school teachers encounter when using social media applications, such as WhatsApp, as educational tools. These challenges include access to devices, internet connectivity, security issues, skill gaps, school policies, and the effectiveness of available applications.

Collaboration among the education department, school administrators, teachers, students, and app developers is essential to address these challenges and enhance the effectiveness of technology in teaching.

Social Media and Education
The South African Department of Basic Education prioritized the integration of WhatsApp into the school curriculum during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Teachers were required not only to be knowledgeable in their subjects but also to be proficient in using social media platforms for educational purposes.

However, many teachers, particularly those in under-resourced schools, lack the necessary skills to effectively utilize online applications like WhatsApp for teaching. Practical solutions are needed to assist them.

This study focused on four public, fee-paying secondary schools within the Western Cape Provincial Department of Education, all of which employed social media as a support tool for their teaching. These schools recorded and shared educational materials, such as teaching videos and video notes, communicated homework and reminders, and conducted virtual lessons, also using the technology for translation purposes.

These schools began utilizing social media for education during the pandemic and have continued to do so afterward. Six teachers experienced in social media teaching were interviewed over the course of a year.

Additionally, school documents, including cellphone and social media policies and the school’s code of conduct, were reviewed.

The challenges associated with social media use have been categorized into student, teacher, application, and institutional challenges.

Student Challenges: Students from low-income communities often lack access to cellphones, or their devices have limited functionality, preventing them from using WhatsApp. Those living in unsafe neighborhoods risk having their phones stolen. Privacy and safety concerns related to cyberbullying are also prevalent, as sharing mobile numbers is necessary to join WhatsApp classroom groups.

While some students have devices, they may not have sufficient data to use WhatsApp, and others may lack the skills to access resources shared on social media.

Teacher Challenges: Teachers also face obstacles when using social media for teaching. Their privacy is compromised since students can access their personal cellphone numbers, making it challenging to maintain a boundary between personal and professional lives, which is unfair to them. A lack of adequate training in social media use is another significant issue.

Older teachers often feel less confident in utilizing social media in the classroom and rely on their younger colleagues for assistance. Managing WhatsApp classroom groups can be difficult as teachers need to constantly update cellphone numbers and manage multiple contacts.

Application Challenges: Limitations inherent to the WhatsApp application can hinder teaching. For instance, sending large files, such as videos and documents, is restricted, causing frustration when teaching videos cannot be sent. Teachers may have to divide videos into smaller segments to send them through WhatsApp.

Furthermore, WhatsApp lacks a professional presentation mode, which can frustrate teachers attempting to deliver PowerPoint presentations to students.

Institutional Challenges: The school environment plays a crucial role in the successful implementation of social media as a teaching tool. Teachers have reported that Wi-Fi connectivity is often unreliable or unavailable, with weak signals, power outages, and vandalism cited as contributing factors.

When Wi-Fi fails, both teachers and students must depend on their data, which can be expensive. School policies that do not fully support the use of social media applications for teaching hinder the effective use of WhatsApp. In some instances, students are prohibited from using cellphones unless permission is granted, leading to confiscation of devices and fines for those without approval.

Why Our Findings Matter
The most significant challenge is the disparity in access to the internet and cellphones faced by schools in low-income communities. Students without access to social media risk falling behind academically due to the lack of learning materials provided by their teachers.

Moreover, teachers encounter additional workload and frustrations due to WhatsApp’s limited teaching features.

The South African Department of Basic Education aims to achieve successful integration of technology like WhatsApp in all classrooms across South Africa. However, this cannot be accomplished without adequately addressing the various challenges present.

For questions or comments write to writers@bostonbrandmedia.com

Source: theconversation‍