NEGOTIATING STUDENTS’ SOCIAL MEDIA AND PERSONAL DATA PRACTICES IN SCHOOL

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to contribute to the existing knowledge by focusing on the translation process. In this context, the translation process refers to the negotiation and integration of students' social media and personal data practices from problematization to mobilization into the school setting. By adopting an analytical approach that treats elements such as school curriculum, policies, educational tools, and individuals on an equal footing, the study seeks to shed light on the dynamics and implications of this translation process. The study explores how these elements influence and negotiate students' social media and personal data practices, as well as how the negotiation of students' social media and personal data practices in Swedish school contexts is mobilized into teaching practices. Theory: The theoretical approach of this study is informed by actor-network theory (ANT) and centres around the model of translation and its application to educational research. Method: Data were composed from different sources, including: (i) transcribed data from workshop discussions, (ii) field notes, (iii) policy documents, (iv) national curriculum, and (v) additional interviews with teachers. The data were analysed using the theoretical framework of actor-network theory in the translation process. Findings: The finding of this present study underlines that different actors in the network have different arguments during the negotiation in order to problematize students' social media and personal data practices within the scope of Swedish school contexts. However, their arguments from the negotiations assemble on a similar interest when it comes to their mutual objectives, which mainly focus on assisting and providing students with knowledge and skills to be more aware of their social media and personal data practices, intending to prepare students to be a democratic society in the digital world. The others finding of this study emphasize that the enrolment process of discussions about teaching personal data on social media practices in schools involves negotiation and influence from non-human actors, such as the curriculum. Furthermore, the study highlights the challenges teachers face, such as unfamiliarity with the concept of personal data on social media and the need for pedagogical tools to support their teaching practices during the mobilization process.