Every student and teacher in every classroom should have access to the technological resources and abilities necessary to successfully help them create the future they desire for themselves.
With technology and social media platforms, a world changing rapidly, a new culture of participation creates limitless chances for the community.

The lecture  “An anthropological introduction to YouTube”  was delivered by Michael Wesch on June 23, 2008, at the Library Congress. Based on anthropological studies of participant observation that he and his Kansas State University students conducted, he talks about the community surrounding the video-sharing website YouTube. The talk concentrated on the origins of this social network and how it evolved in the initial years following its 2005 launch. In the video, the author analyzes the dangers of losing authenticity connected to these kinds of platforms and explores the function of webcams and what it means to be a part of this “YouTube community,” which appears to communicate through Vlogs.

The author claims that using social media is a reaction to isolation. YouTube is useful for more than just knowledge sharing and research. More than that, it is a means of communication that gives us the chance to build relationships with individuals worldwide via videos that we make using webcams anywhere. Michael Wesch wants to consider these interpersonal relationships and how they happen on the YouTube platform.

Michael Wesch carefully considers the effects of communication via these kinds of platforms (distance communication), pointing out that we often display individualism, reliance, and commercialization when we want to fit in, form connections, and pursue authenticity. The issue of lack of authenticity is apparent given the ability to share a video and have it seen by people, anywhere in the world. People just make up characters that have nothing to do with themselves to get more views. What YouTube users decide to display during their videos is who they are. Throughout the talk, there are several discussions regarding the drawbacks of virtual relationships compared to in-person ones. One particularly noteworthy quote from Robert Putnam’s book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community is, “My hunch is that meeting in an electronic forum is not the equivalent of meeting in a bowling alley.”

The pursuit of knowledge is intimately linked to the development of the YouTube platform. It is also important how the information gets to the recipient. Content that is presented with both image and sound on a single screen demonstrates our understanding that combining the senses of vision and hearing can improve information absorption.

Our classrooms can gain a great deal from the new participation culture and the integration of media and technology. Integrating social media and technology into the classroom can improve student engagement and create a more dynamic and engaging atmosphere if used appropriately and we do not rely on it totally for our teaching.

Compared to previous periods in recent history, education is changing more quickly now. Consequently, for educators and educational institutions to assist students in becoming ready for challenges and careers that do not yet exist, it is more crucial than ever to comprehend how and where it is changing.

Incorporating social media and technology into the classroom helps students get accustomed to technology and media. However many educators find it difficult to balance technology’s alluring distraction value with its potential for pedagogy. As educators, we need to pause and ask ourselves questions like “What is too much technology in classrooms?” and “How can we help our students have healthy relationships with technology/ social media and be safe and confident explorers of the digital world?”

According to research, teaching students about online safety in the classroom is essential to assist them in growing up to be responsible and safe technology users. This is especially true if the students are taught how to manage risks rather than avoid them. Although several educational institutions prioritize imparting children with functional digital skills and one-way messages about online safety, there is potential to support a more dynamic and interactive pedagogy.

As a future educator, it will be essential to set screen time limits and specify suitable platforms, content, and safe websites to preserve a secure and effective learning environment.