Overview:
Through the topic exploration, I understand that the safety of social media is vital for the physical and mental health and social development of teenagers. It is vital to teaching young people how to stay safe on social media so that they can make the most of the online world (Collier, 2018). I think students should understand and learn how to actively use social media, take TikTok as a preferred example, and if students have some problems with this application they can also choose Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to establish a connection with society during the learning process. Therefore, I will design a one-semester research project based on 7th-grade students. Inquiry-based learning positively impacts students’ ability to understand core concepts and procedures, and inquiry creates a more attractive learning environment (Friesen & Scott, 2013). This project allows teachers to explore the impact of TikTok and other applications on daily life with students and provides students with activities to ask different inquiry questions so that they can build an understanding of physical and mental health and social self-perception. The project also provides students with a deep understanding of TikTok and other applications as social media and actively applies them to their lives.
Inquiry Project proposal
With the development of technology, the way educators use internet security in the classroom has changed, and our use of it is also evolving (Oh, 2020). As the main body of learning, under the guidance of the teacher, the students conduct research and design in groups, and the entire project will be carried out in groups. Most of the activities of this project are explored and experimented by students themselves, which strengthens students’ motivation to participate in activities positively and enhances their confidence in exploring. Through discussion and communication in the group, students can get different results.
Inquiry-based activities
Grop Discussion
Group discussion is the central part of project design. This project gives students enough time to work with group members to choose appropriate questionnaires, and collection and analysis to establish their own methods of using TikTok and other applications. Based on design thinking, I will use brainstorming activities to help students to explore their idea. Students will share their stories of using social media. Then, combining their own experiences and asking relevant questions or ideas. After this, students will collect and classify their thoughts and questions to decides their own topic. Finally, designing their own questionnaires.
Presentation
Presentation is another important part of the design of this inquiry project. First, the students communicated in the group, sharing and discussing various information materials accumulated. Secondly, the students give presentations to the class in groups, and then students will get feedback from other groups. Students can use a variety of ways to give presentations, for example, students can use diagrams, pictures and videos to express themselves.
Interview
The interview is one of the activities designed by this project. Students use the survey designed by the group and interview the local community residents to collect relevant information on the use of TikTok or other applications. Communicating with local community residents, students can connect in the real world and summarize and recreate their own thoughts on TikTok or other applications from residents’ experiences.
Some classroom activities will be added during the project to help students think and expand：
Digital Footprint
By comparing their digital footprint with things, students learn to think carefully before publishing and sharing information (Mendoza, 2020).
Teen Voices: Friendships and Social Media
Students will hear other teenagers’ opinions about using social media to connect with friends, consider possible complications and disturbances, and seriously consider how social media affects their own relationships (Mendoza, 2020).
In these activities, the teacher will provide handout, related videos, pictures and comfortable discussion space for students.
challenges
Students need communication skills and development ability. Moreover, the data collected by students is not guaranteed to be completely accurate and may affect students’ judgments and conclusions.
Possibilities
Independent and innovative learning is originally the objective needs of students from the heart, so this project creates an atmosphere of independent and innovative learning for students. The project provides students with a process of autonomous learning and exercises their social and academic skills. Besides, students can connect with society and establish their own interpretation of social responsibility.
Learning Principles from BC Curriculum
This project will base on the BC’s curriculum for grade 7 Physical and Health Education and Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies.
Physical and Health Education 7: (https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/physical-health-education/7/core
Core Competencies:
Social Awareness & Responsibility
https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies/personal-and-social/social-awareness-and-responsibility
Big Ideas:
- Healthy choices influence our physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
- Learning about similarities and differences in individuals and groups influences community health.
Curricular Competency and Content:
Social and community health:
- Describe and apply strategies for developing and maintaining healthy relationships;
- Explore strategies for promoting the health and well-being of the school and community
Mental well-being:
- Describe and assess strategies for promoting mental well-being, for self and others
- Create and assess strategies for managing physical, emotional, and social changes during puberty and adolescence
Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies 7: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/adst/7/core
Core Competencies:
Communicating: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies/communication/communicating
Curricular Competency and Content:
Applied Technologies:
- Identify the personal, social, and environmental impacts, including unintended negative consequences, of the choices they make about technology use
Digital Literacy
Related Inquiry-based Pedagogy
The knowledge world of life always needs to be rebuilt with young people, re-questioned, re-experienced and re-accepted (Jardine, 2011). Therefore, in my project, I will prepare students for activities in the classroom and prepare students for activities connected to the real world. The Grimm and Vaast (2011) mentioned that inquiry project with a high degree of personalization, every student can find a way of working, and there are many options to learn; regardless of skill level, all students can understand expectations and do their best. Based on this example, I will consider incorporating diversity into my projects so that every student can learn and express themselves in a way that suits them.
To successfully promote query-based learning, educators have changed from the traditional role of information and content provider to the role of learning facilitator (Ophea, n.d.). Therefore, in my project, teachers mainly assist students in designing projects. During the inquiry process, the teacher will not provide students with any answers, and teachers may provide appropriate guidance when students feel confused. Moreover, to successfully collect evidence, students need to find information that they can read and understand (Ophea, n.d.). In this project, I will work with librarians to provide students assistance and help students develop their ability to collect literature.
Further Questions:
- What rights do we have in TikTok (other applications)?
- How to guarantee our basic rights in TikTok (other applications)？
- What kind of users have a sense of social responsibility in TikTok (other applications)？
- How to know that using TikTok (other applications) in a healthy way?
- How to ensure the security of your data in TikTok (other applications)?
- As citizens in society, what are our rights and responsibilities for the use of social media, and what are the relationships between them?