The use of social media for educational purposes is expanding into teachers’ daily assignments for students, as educators are now assigning social media projects to “become more visible on campus and make it fun,” Fara Sadler, the Movéo dance teacher, explains.

Students are now using Instagram, Snapchat, and even TikTok to create school projects. Some students have concluded that using social media would make school, and class projects, more entertaining.

“I would think it would be cool because it makes school more fun,” Senior Tanner Cassens said.

In an attempt to intrigue students in chemistry, teacher Bryan Idleman has students make a video on the different steps of stoichiometry. Most students use a social media app to get more effects on their presentation.

“I have people do it on TikTok to get more of a fun look,” Idleman said. 

Sadler has the same idea. By using social media, she can let the Movéo dance team advertise their dancing personality.

“It is good for the school to see that Movéo is not scary and intimidating,” Sadler states.

Sophomore Frankie Bode disagrees with the fact of having to use social media for projects. She thinks that using a personal entertainment app for teachers to look at is unprofessional. 

“I feel like it would be really awkward because you wouldn’t want to share that personal information,” Bode said.

Students who have social media all suggest that you would need an outgoing personality to be comfortable with that type of assignment. Being introverted would not be ideal for this specific type of assignment.

“Social media affects the classroom in that it creates a great distraction; a lot of times when I’m teaching, a student’s Snapchat goes off which impacts the classroom,” English teacher Penny Snyder states.

Social media in the classroom is a big step for teachers, allowing students’ phones to go off in class for the excuse of it being a school project involves incredible patience.

Meanwhile, some students think that a TikTok project would be a free pass to go on their phones.

“I would like it because I could tell the teachers that I’m watching TikTok for a class and they can’t yell at me,” sophomore Ethan Gonzales said.

Students’ who are often on their phones say that social media does not affect education yet going on their phone to play games or text does.

 “I don’t think social media is distracting, but if you check your phone for a text or something, it is,” Bode states.

Since Instagram was launched in 2010, followed by Snapchat in 2011, social media has imprinted so many students in school, either creating projects or major distractions. 

Teachers and students both disagree and agree with being able to use phones in the class as a form of a project resource. Regardless, technology is beginning to grow in impact in the education arena.