Students With and Without Disabilities Using Social Media: Relationship Benefits and Implications for Education

A pandemic in 2020 resulted in economic and social disruption of unprecedented scale. Social distancing — or physical distancing while in public spaces — was required, and social media usage spiked globally as people turned to these online spaces for information and connection. Today’s postsecondar...

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Main Authors: Christine Greenhow, Aisel Akhmedova, Jennifer Sutcliffe, Marisa Fisher, Connie Sung
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Alberta 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Contemporary Issues in Education
Online Access:https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/jcie/index.php/JCIE/article/view/29602
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author Christine Greenhow
Aisel Akhmedova
Jennifer Sutcliffe
Marisa Fisher
Connie Sung
author_facet Christine Greenhow
Aisel Akhmedova
Jennifer Sutcliffe
Marisa Fisher
Connie Sung
author_sort Christine Greenhow
collection DOAJ
description A pandemic in 2020 resulted in economic and social disruption of unprecedented scale. Social distancing — or physical distancing while in public spaces — was required, and social media usage spiked globally as people turned to these online spaces for information and connection. Today’s postsecondary students, in particular, are frequently immersed in social media; it can offer them social supports, such as a greater sense of belonging during times of transition and crisis, but also inherent risks, including cyberbullying and online harassment. Although many studies have examined the social connections or supports for learning that college students without disabilities experience by using social media, few studies have explored these phenomena among college students with disabilities, including neurodevelopmental disabilities such as anxiety disorders (e.g., social anxiety, autism, attention deficit disorder) that make socialization difficult for these young adults.  It is important that educational research advances understanding of the socialization experiences of these students with disabilities because students’ sense of belonging and peer support is critical to their engagement and success in K-12 and postsecondary schooling.
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series Journal of Contemporary Issues in Education
spelling doaj-art-50b99f7c50854211a5d6910aa219c4ae2024-12-10T18:32:34ZengUniversity of AlbertaJournal of Contemporary Issues in Education1718-47702024-12-0119210.20355/jcie29602Students With and Without Disabilities Using Social Media: Relationship Benefits and Implications for EducationChristine Greenhow0Aisel Akhmedova 1Jennifer Sutcliffe2Marisa Fisher3Connie Sung4Michigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityMichigan State University A pandemic in 2020 resulted in economic and social disruption of unprecedented scale. Social distancing — or physical distancing while in public spaces — was required, and social media usage spiked globally as people turned to these online spaces for information and connection. Today’s postsecondary students, in particular, are frequently immersed in social media; it can offer them social supports, such as a greater sense of belonging during times of transition and crisis, but also inherent risks, including cyberbullying and online harassment. Although many studies have examined the social connections or supports for learning that college students without disabilities experience by using social media, few studies have explored these phenomena among college students with disabilities, including neurodevelopmental disabilities such as anxiety disorders (e.g., social anxiety, autism, attention deficit disorder) that make socialization difficult for these young adults.  It is important that educational research advances understanding of the socialization experiences of these students with disabilities because students’ sense of belonging and peer support is critical to their engagement and success in K-12 and postsecondary schooling. https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/jcie/index.php/JCIE/article/view/29602
spellingShingle Christine Greenhow
Aisel Akhmedova
Jennifer Sutcliffe
Marisa Fisher
Connie Sung
Students With and Without Disabilities Using Social Media: Relationship Benefits and Implications for Education
Journal of Contemporary Issues in Education
title Students With and Without Disabilities Using Social Media: Relationship Benefits and Implications for Education
title_full Students With and Without Disabilities Using Social Media: Relationship Benefits and Implications for Education
title_fullStr Students With and Without Disabilities Using Social Media: Relationship Benefits and Implications for Education
title_full_unstemmed Students With and Without Disabilities Using Social Media: Relationship Benefits and Implications for Education
title_short Students With and Without Disabilities Using Social Media: Relationship Benefits and Implications for Education
title_sort students with and without disabilities using social media relationship benefits and implications for education
url https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/jcie/index.php/JCIE/article/view/29602
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AT jennifersutcliffe studentswithandwithoutdisabilitiesusingsocialmediarelationshipbenefitsandimplicationsforeducation
AT marisafisher studentswithandwithoutdisabilitiesusingsocialmediarelationshipbenefitsandimplicationsforeducation
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