Social Media's Next Big Thing
Social Media's Next Big Thing
Snapchat. Instagram. YouTube. While social media is a part of everyday life for many teens, what if they could design their own app? This was the question recently posed to students in the media design and communication class at Hopewell Junior School.
“If we could make our own social media, what would it be and how would it be different,” relayed Liam Gallagher, a seventh grader in Joseph Bobinger’s class. After reviewing their three favorite social media platforms, the students determined what they liked and what they would want to change. For those who don’t have access to social media, no problem. They used apps for games they might play, text messaging or platforms they would like to have as a starting point.
Then, they let their creativity take over.
Charlotte Ross’ concept is called Synify. “I took what I used most in apps and merged them. (This way) everything is in one spot.”
“We have talked about social media inventories and how they spend a lot of time on their devices,” explained Bobinger. His goal was for the students to see that many of the apps are similar and, perhaps, they may not need to use all of them. “(The project) was for them to have to be creative and see what they enjoy when using the apps.”
Once they came up with their concept, the students had to decide upon a name and logo. The class discussed the meaning behind colors and what names and logos represent. “For example, we talked about how Mark Zuckerberg is color blind and the only color he can see is blue and that is why Facebook is blue,” noted Bobinger.
As the name implies, social media is meant to be social - a concept that was not lost on the students. “My goal (was to build) an app where people can easily communicate,” said Ross. Colin McWilliams’ agrees.
McWilliams’ created an app he calls Quick, designed to share an unedited video with others when prompted. The concept, similar to a popular app called BeReal, is meant to be a competition across the globe, with all users receiving the prompt simultaneously. They would then compete against one another, earning points based on how quickly they share a video of what they are doing at that moment.
Leading up to the project, Bobinger had the class dive into phone usage and think about how much time they spend on social media. “I do think that some of the students have had an aha moment when it comes to their phone and social media,” he said. After watching a video on the topic, the students wrote reflections, which Bobinger said were powerful.
During their presentations, several students emphasized a component of positivity in their app. Gallagher’s app JANUS is named after the Roman god of doorways and choices. “I want to open it up to thousands of possibilities.” One of the ways he would accomplish this is to have his app be “text messaging with a twist.” Using a meerkat as its logo, users could send the image to their friends. When clicked, the meerkat shares a positive message.
Regan Murray made sure that parental control played an important role in the design of Speak Up Social, intending to build a bridge between what a teenager would want and what a parent might require. “A lot of people have negative interactions on social media,” she said. “I wanted to create a safe space and I want it to be positive.”
- real world learning