The Impact of Social Media on Global Citizenship Education

We are seeing more global citizens who yearn to feel like they belong to a large, global community rather than a small, local one.

Humans have long grouped themselves into communities and tribes that have overlapping ideologies, customs, and identities. This in turn contributed to and continues to determine our requirements in terms of economics, politics, religion, and society. However, since physical and communication barriers have decreased, there is a greater need for global participation. As a result, we are seeing more global citizens who yearn to feel like they belong to a large, global community rather than a small, local one.

In today’s time, any individual cannot live without information and communication technology because of its significant and influencing role in all spheres of existence. It has become an integral part of our lives. It is now possible to enter the virtual world, connect with people despite geographical barriers and discover different cultures owing to the fundamental character of social communication.

Importance of Social Media for Institutions

Many institutions have been compelled to lock their doors to students in response to the Covid-19 outbreak in order to stop the spread of the virus and shifted to modern tools like social media to provide online course materials. Given that students were geographically isolated from their professors and classmates when they switched from a face-to-face learning setting to online learning, there arose some learning issues and benefits. However, this has now made social media even more crucial for student engagement and cooperation both within and outside of online classrooms.

Students and educators can communicate via an educational channel, thanks to modern technologies! Instant communication between schools throughout the world is now possible because of technology. When taking into account the implications of educating global citizenship, this becomes crucial. Pupils must recognize the ramifications of the technological link, which is accomplished through global citizenship education. It is not sufficient for students to just acknowledge the connection that currently exists with technology. Technology-mediated intercultural contacts have and are still teaching people all around the world to become culturally aware, global citizens.

Global citizenship does not correspond to legal citizenship in the sense of a person’s standing before the government. Instead, global citizenship should be viewed as belonging to a community. The concept of global citizenship expands on the notion of being a good neighbor and upholding the interests of one’s local community. The necessity for global citizenship and its purposes become the next important issue that needs to be addressed. The points that follow emphasize the importance of global citizens:

Emphasize the Importance of Global Citizens

Increased Awareness

A global citizen is aware of how our world is interrelated and how many of our decisions and actions have an impact on others domestically, nationally, and often even worldwide. No matter where they reside, they can respect both themselves and others. Therefore, when you think internationally, you will see more individuals speaking up about important concerns. Human rights, gender equity, religious freedom, environmental preservation, sustainable economic development, and poverty reduction are a few of these issues.

Community participation:

Global citizen makes an effort to learn how the world functions and to keep themselves updated. They engage in community life on many different scales, and they are eager to take action to make the world a more just and sustainable place. The youngsters step in at this point.

 Problem-solver attitude

Individuals with global citizenship education are better equipped to think critically, solve issues, make decisions, and collaborate with others. They benefit personally, academically, and eventually professionally from this. Thus, it is crucial to teach about the world in the classroom. One has many chances to be adaptable, imaginative, and assertive. 

 Promotion of Sustainability

For the benefit of future generations, they support protecting the environment, the economy, and society. Together with their desire for a better future, global people are more inclined to take action to stop unsustainable behaviors, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and speaking out against cruel working conditions. In other words, by encouraging people to actively contribute to their communities, global citizenship education may promote more sustainable development goals and a more equitable society.

The values and practices of global citizenship education still have gaps, nevertheless.

The actions listed below must be quickly completed in order to develop global citizens:

• Investments in education, particularly in developing nations, should be increased and closely tracked by the government, charities, and private corporations.
• All levels of education worldwide should incorporate global citizenship education.

• By upholding the law, we should encourage peaceful cohabitation, fundamental human rights, and environmental sustainability.
• To educate those without access to formal schooling, awareness of global citizenship should be spread through the media in their native tongues.

Programs promoting global citizenship education strive to alter the attitudes and behaviors of their target populations. These transformation processes are frequently influenced by a variety of elements that are not indexed to one another. This realization has significant planning, monitoring, and assessment consequences. Because change is erratic, elusive, and includes several players, relations, and perspectives, it requires a dynamic strategy. Here, information technology and social media play a key role

In the twenty-first century, social media has the potential to completely change how people interact. Through its impact on social connections, financial institutions, transactional methods, communication methods, and the educational field, social media has changed the way of functioning. Additionally, social media can be used for the greater good by creating online communities to disseminate information, acquire new skills, connect with large audiences, and share knowledge.