Educators Meet the Fifth Estate: Social Media in Education

Abstract

Since the coronavirus pandemic, the ability to reach others across virtual space has become a prominent, widespread phenomenon. Within social media, social and professional discourse extends across fields. Social media, considered by many as the Fifth Estate, redefines network influence and provides an outlet for historically underrepresented voices. Particularly in education, how educators relate within virtual space is a window into their thinking and often behavior online and offline. This issue will investigate the various forms of educators’ engagement within social media and its influence within elementary schools and classrooms. A confluence of Wall Street, Main Street, and community school, the Fifth Estate is at its core composed of humans interested in sharing their ideas, advice, and stories—building trust. This work presents computational social science applications across K-20 education, computer science, mathematics education, social network analysis, research on early elementary engagement within social media, and social media in education.