New Concern for U.S. Teachers: The Digital Showcase
According to a survey by the EdWeek Research Center in the U.S., teachers feel pressured to present their classrooms and professional lives in a certain style on social media. Nearly a third of teachers report that social media creates expectations around their teaching methods, student popularity, classroom decorations, and personal style. This pressure is especially felt by elementary and middle school teachers, who report experiencing it more intensely than high school teachers.
The most widely used social media platforms among teachers include YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest, all of which emphasize visual content. Teachers aiming for social media popularity find themselves under pressure to decorate their classrooms, create new lesson plans, and showcase their professional growth on online platforms. Younger teachers especially feel driven to establish a “digital showcase” by controlling aspects like classroom decor.
While some teachers note that social media helps them engage with colleagues, others find the pressure from social media stressful. For example, one teacher who has been sharing educational content through blogging for years says that social media has made it easier to connect in a profession often viewed as isolating. However, some teachers express that social media expectations negatively affect their professional satisfaction, and they opt to close their social media accounts to escape this pressure.
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