Using social media safely and appropriately in higher education: A reflection on the last 10 years

The ubiquitous use of mobile technology and easy access to social media apps, and more recently video conferencing software such as Zoom, provide multiple ways for individuals to interact. These technologies have been adopted by both educators and students and provide many useful ways to communicate and collaborate within and beyond the classroom. The acceleration of digital communication tools and widespread use of digital technology in our daily lives’ present tensions as the collection of personal data increasingly gives rise to privacy concerns. Furthermore, inappropriate online communications have resulted in serious situations and significant repercussions for those involved. It is therefore timely to revisit the guidance on appropriate online behaviour in the use of social media, and how we use technology safely, along with being clear about the potential implications if advice is not heeded. In our session we will share the open access resources we have developed at Sheffield Hallam University with suggestions on how these could be used with students. These include “How to use social media responsibly”, “Managing your digital footprint”, “Using social media for learning”, and “Using social media to enhance your employability”. This reflection paper considers the collaborative process undertaken to produce social media guidance for an institution.