A design management approach to provide educational initiatives for learning social media management and self-development

Are you addicted to Social media?

Sensing the System

Today, university students have difficulty controlling social media usage and have experienced negative feelings from it. Social media use has a negative impact on the mental health of young adults. Particularly it causes addictive social media use and low self-esteem. These negative impacts are interdependent and correlated. However, there is no essential education about learning social media use and self-development. Moreover, students don’t recognise the existence of mental health support by the school, also mental health support is considered significant waiting time is required or financially unaffordable.

Strategy

The workshop session at HSLU provides students with an opportunity to self-analyse their social media use as well as mental health impacts and gives input on how to address it with well-being activity and self-development.

This session would be facilitated by two guest speakers; a media researcher and a psychologist. In addition to the expert input about social media use and self-development, this workshop has two interactive activities; 1. Creative tree and 2. One-week diary. The creative tree is a group activity in which students can ideate, think and discuss their own ideas about digital activity and well-being. The one-week diary is a self-reflection activity in which students can track and analyse their social media usage. Behaviour analysis is an initial phase for reducing social media usage which leads them to use social media properly. At the end of the workshop, mental support for students would be informed.

Emergence

Through this workshop, students understand the negative impacts of social media use and learn about their social media use by interacting with peers. Therefore students are equipped with knowledge on how and when to address problematic social media use and balanced life. Students also know when and how to seek counselling when they recognize unhealthy social media behaviour.

Not only for students, but it would also be an opportunity that Professors can understand the students’ social media use. Schools can raise the student’s awareness and satisfaction with mental health support. Raising mental health and proper social media use will contribute to increasing the overall academic performance.

Moreover, Increasing mental health support for young adults will create society a more open and safe environment. Promoting proper social media use reduces young adults› cases of digital media addiction and prevents mental health disorders.

Social media Diary

Creative Tree

LinkedIn