How Instagram got me an A by Joree

How Instagram got me an A by Joree - March 2022 Scholarship Essay

In the 9th grade, like most students, I was subjected to reading a famous piece of literature: The Odyssey. We had to do a timeline project on The Odyssey, including pictures and descriptions. If you are familiar with The Odyssey, you know the piece is about 12 adventures not in chronological order. I was scrolling on Instagram in class when the idea popped up in my head: let's make Odysseus his own Instagram page. Since all of my group members coined about 5 hours on Instagram per day, they loved the idea. We presented our project to our teacher, and she loved it. She bragged about our Instagram page to all the other English teachers and even used it as a tool when taught The Odyssey a year later. Using platforms teens are familiar with can cause a better learning experience for both students and teachers.
When technology was first introduced into education, many people were hesitant to use it. People are typically not uncomfortable with change; however, test scores have skyrocketed since the technology was integrated into instruction. This same method can be applied to social media in education. Social media can aid with student engagement since most students are active users. Nowadays, social media connects with people, places, and ideas. We also can use it to collaborate with each other for educational purposes. There are many different communication platforms to connect with other students, classes, or even different schools.
Unfortunately, due to students being so familiar with social media, it can also be a distraction. Many teens have very short attention spans due to a lack of motivation. Social media is affecting our brains; It provides immediate gratification with minimal effort that can cause our brain to rewire itself, which can cause psychological addictions. Social media can also hinder our brain's ability to filter interferences, leading to decreased multitasking.
Despite all the adverse effects of social media, it should still be a part of our educational system. We have a resource that teens and teachers can use to benefit all parties. Our educational system must be improved to match the needs of students. Integrating social media into lesson plans and school activities can change what we need to enhance our learning.