News Science Quarterly (NS)

News Science Quarterly (NS)

Student Teachers Experiences of the Impact of Social Media on Their Professional Competencies

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Marzieh Motamedi Mohammadabadi
Department of Educational Sciences, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran. E-mail: m.motamedi@cfu.ac.ir
10.22034/lrsi.2025.523427.1374
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this research was to explore student teachers experience of the impact of social media and their professional competencies.
Methods: This study used qualitative approach with phenomenological methods. Accordingly, 15 student teachers in their final year at Farhangian University of Isfahan was selected purposefully. The main criterion for choosing them was that they had passed their internship course. sampling continued until the data become saturated.  Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. The peer review was used to ensure their credibility of the research findings.
Results: The results showed that professional competence is affected by social media in three dimensions: knowledge, skill, and attitude. In the area of knowledge, social media gives opportunities to improve subject-matter, pedagogical, and psychological knowledge, but also poses the risk of superficial professional knowledge. In the skills aspect, social media leads to stronger research skills, digital skills, and effective communication, but weakens critical thinking, creative thinking, face-to-face communication skills, and personal management. In the attitude domain, although social media creates opportunities for self-efficacy, motivation, and ongoing learning, it can also cause harm such as lower self-esteem, weaker professional identity, and violating the principles of professional ethics.
Conclusions: Given the complex impact of social media on the professional competencies of student teachers, it is essential to approach them with a critical and reflective perspective. The harms of these platforms should be identified and controlled, and their opportunities should be used to improve the quality of education at Farhangian University.
Keywords
Social Media: Professional Competency
Student Teacher
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