Sharing Content with Primary School Students on Social Media: Opinions of Primary School Teacher Candidates About Edu-Influencers

Abstract

Social media platforms are entering schools and even classrooms today. Students' early acquaintance with social media platforms brings up the disadvantages and advantages of social media platforms. The use of social media platforms against students and the risks they pose to them place a responsibility on teachers and parents. However, occasionally, sharing school and classroom location information in the social media posts of edu-influencers, violating classroom privacy, creates controversy. Thus, the risk aspects of social media and cybersecurity problems can outweigh the advantages of social media. Sharing students' photos and videos by edu-influencers on their personal social media accounts that are public and have a large number of followers is evaluated differently. In this case study, the opinions of primary school teacher candidates (n = 50) in T & uuml;rkiye were obtained regarding the posts made by edu-influencers at the primary school level on Instagram, a social media platform. Data were collected through in-depth interviews via Zoom and coded using qualitative inductive content analysis. The results indicate that primary school teacher candidates' opinions towards edu-influencers vary. While some teacher candidates take edu-influencers as role models, others draw attention to the violation of children's rights in these posts. The research findings reveal the necessity of clear and explicit ethical rules and policies regarding the social media posts of edu-influencers in educational environments. It should also be noted that there is a need for digital literacy training for teacher candidates and teachers.