Which social media platforms are beneficial in education?  

I think all social media platforms have the ability to educate people. Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are some platforms that offer the visual aspect of learning through visual aids (videos, live streams, posts, commenting and direct messaging). The graphic format allows for constant exchange among a variety of different people. Now, with platforms like Tik Tok, content creators can create bite-sized videos about educational topics. In fact, during a work training last year, my supervisor showed us this Tik Tok of a former teacher turned content creator talking about how to co-regulate with children (as the field I work in is in child care). However, the real question is which of the many existing platforms is beneficial and reliable. As discussed in this course, we can build online communities through PLN and social media to share new ideas and learn from each other. But with the rise of false information, lack of inclusivity, and, in some spaces, lack of genuine connections, we have to use our defensive critical thinking to evaluate the situations. I have found this non-profit, nonpartisan program called Media Wise of The Poynter Institute (perhaps some of you already know it or have discussed this platform). They aim to “educate people how to identify misinformation through innovative digital media literacy initiatives” and become our own personal fact-checkers online. They can be found on Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Tik Tok; I’ve included the links below if you would like to check out this initiative. 

https://www.youtube.com/@MediaWise/featured

https://www.instagram.com/mediawise/

How does social media fit into professionalism and regulations when working with the vulnerable sector?

I think being safe and protecting our online identity and information is very important on social media. For that reason, creating boundaries between professional and personal identities and, in general, in online spaces can prevent any misfortune. Generally, adults who have grown up with technology and social media or have learnt to use it can avoid certain dangerous situations online. Nevertheless, for children with access to social media, there is a need to put in better restrictions as the ones put in place now have slipped through the cracks. And they are, too, being overexposed by a lot of different information and the effects of having direct communication at their fingertips. The same can be said for older adults, who ads and posts can easily persuade due to technology being a new way of life utterly different from the one they knew before.