Social media distraction affects evaluation of teachers

 SUMMARY

EXISTING KNOWLEDGE

1. Student Engagement and Teaching Evaluation: Research has consistently shown that student engagement—cognitive, emotional, and behavioral—enhances academic performance and is a critical factor in evaluating teaching effectiveness.

2. Social Media as a Distraction: Social media usage in educational settings has been identified as a significant source of distraction, negatively affecting students’ ability to concentrate and complete tasks effectively.

3. Active Learning in Management Education: Active learning methods, such as discussions and problem-solving, are widely regarded as effective for fostering student engagement in management education.

NEW INSIGHTS

1. Social Media’s Moderating Role: Students distracted by social media often attribute poor learning outcomes to the teacher rather than their lack of focus.

2. Impact on Behavioral and Emotional Engagement: While behavioral engagement was not significantly affected, social media distraction reduced emotional engagement, weakening students’ overall satisfaction with teaching.

3. Bias in Teacher Evaluations: The study highlights that social media distractions lead to biased evaluations, as disengaged students tend to rate teachers unfairly based on their own inattention rather than teaching quality.

PUTTING RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE

1. Educate Students on Distractions: Institutions should conduct awareness campaigns on the impact of social media on learning and encourage students to limit usage during classes.

2. Integrate Technology Mindfully: Teachers can incorporate social media into learning activities to align with students’ habits while maintaining focus on educational objectives.

3. Refine Evaluation Methods: Higher education institutions should consider external factors like social media distraction when interpreting SET results to ensure fair appraisals.

Cite/Refer this article: Ross, E. M. (2024). Social media distraction affects evaluation of teachers. Excellent Educator, 1(16), 2. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.27999206

Reference: Nema, P., Srivastava, R., Bhalla, R., & Chakarboty, A. (2023). Impact of social media distraction on student evaluation of teacher effectiveness. International Journal of Educational Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-10-2022-0389