The pros and cons of social media
There are many pros and cons of social media. It is important for students to understand that a positive may also be a negative, and that there are many ‘shades of grey’ when interacting online. Equipping students to evaluate these perspectives will help them to make positive and safe choices when engaging online.
Year level
7-10
Duration
5 minutes
Type
In class activity
SEL Competencies
Self-awareness
Social awareness
Learning intention
Students will learn to see both sides of a situation, understanding that social media is not black and white and it is important to see the shades of grey.
Key outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
identify the perceived ‘good’ and ‘bad’ of social media
understand the ‘shades of grey’ of social media
feel confident to make positive choices when engaging with social media.
Materials needed
Butcher’s paper or electronic equivalent
Venn diagram
Mapped to
Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education
Analyse and reflect on the influence of values and beliefs on the development of identities (AC9HP8P01)
Analyse the impact of changes and transitions, and devise strategies to support themselves and others through these changes (AC9HP8P02)
Analyse factors that shape identities and evaluate how individuals influence the identities of others (AC9HP10P01)
Plan, rehearse and evaluate strategies for managing situations where their own or others’ health, safety or wellbeing may be at risk (AC9HP10P08)
Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities
Personal and Social Capability:
Self-awareness
Social awareness
Ethical Understanding:
Understanding ethical concepts and perspectives
Responding to ethical issues
Digital Literacy:
Practising digital safety and wellbeing
Critical and Creative Thinking:
Inquiring
Generating
Analysing
Victorian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education
Examine barriers to seeking support and evaluate strategies to overcome these (VCHPEP125)
Investigate the benefits of relationships and examine their impact on their own and others’ health and wellbeing (VCHPEP127)
Evaluate situations and propose appropriate emotional responses and then reflect on possible outcomes of different responses to health and wellbeing (VCHPEP147)
NSW PDHPE Syllabus
Examines and evaluates strategies to manage current and future challenges (PD4-1)
Demonstrates self-management skills to effectively manage complex situations (PD4-9)
Assesses their own and others’ capacity to reflect on and respond positively to challenges (PD5-1)
Assesses and applies self-management skills to effectively manage complex situations (PD5-9)
Activity 1
Instructions
5 minutes
Draw a Venn diagram on the whiteboard.
In one circle, write ‘pros’ and in the second circle write ‘cons’.
In the first circle, ask students to write the ‘pros’ (positives) of social media.
In the second circle, ask students to write the ‘cons' (negatives) of social media.
In the middle part of the diagram, where the circles overlap, ask students to write what could be both a ‘positive’ and a ‘negative’.
As a class, discuss:
Why can social media be both ‘positive’ and ‘negative’?
What can be done to limit the impact of the ‘negatives’ of social media?
Debrief with students. Explain that there are often grey areas with social media. While something might be ‘positive’ (e.g. being able to share photos with someone who lives far away), it can also be negative (e.g. hurtful comments). This means it can be hard to define something as ‘positive’ or ‘negative’.
