Abstract:

Children engage with digital media such as videos, blogs, social media, and news reports, on a regular basis in the classroom. However, media can act as a double-edged sword for children and youth mental health; media may facilitate connection and empowerment (Matrix, 2014; Rogers et al., 2021), but it can also trigger trauma responses or lower self-esteem (Valkenburg & Piotrowski, 2017; Westley, 2023). Recent research by Westley (2023) found that school age children experienced traumatic symptoms from media shown in classrooms, such as anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress. Children with existing mental health problems or at risk to trauma responses could be more vulnerable to negative media effects (Grech & Ellul, 2021; Riles et al., 2021; Westley, 2023). Considering the increasing role of digital media in classrooms, we need to explore its role in trauma informed care (TIC) and pedagogy for educators. There is a significant gap in trauma-informed training for educators. Teachers do not feel equipped to support students with a history of trauma or implement trauma-informed care principles (Hobbs et al., 2019; Laffier, 2022). Therefore, this research study explored individuals' experiences with digital media in the classroom and their specific recommendations for educators.

The research questions were:
(1) How did individuals experience classroom digital media as a negative effect on their well-being?
(2) What recommendations did individuals make for educators on trauma informed pedagogy related to media in the classroom?

A phenomenological research approach was taken to explore people’s lived experiences of trauma and media within educational settings. To understand current and past students' experiences, a search was conducted of social media posts on platforms such as Reddit and Twitter (now identified as X). Social media is used similarly to personal diaries, as users post their individual thoughts and experiences in digital posts, which resembles a diary entry (Karfelt, 2019). Overall, 403 tweets and 81 Reddit posts were included in the analysis for a total of 484 social media posts (N = 484). A four-step thematic coding process was conducted to identify themes of trauma-informed recommendations for educators and schools. A fifth step of analysis involved comparing the recommendations cited to the "Five Guiding Principles of Trauma-Informed Care," which include safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness and empowerment (ITTIC, 2015; SAMHSA, 2014).

The findings from this study revealed that media shown in classrooms can have adverse psychological effects on students and they were open to sharing suggestions for educators and schools on trauma informed practices. For example, some prominent lived experience recommendations included:
1) providing trigger warnings,
2) options for alternative assignments,
3) multiple mediums to consume content,
4) the opportunity to discuss with the educator when content may pose a risk to the student and
5) opportunities for debriefing and support if the media elicits a trauma response.

Recommendations aligned with each of the five guiding principles of trauma informed care which include safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness, and empowerment (SAMHSA, 2014). For example, trigger or content warnings were often associated by participants as a form of safety and choice. This qualitative study provides insights for educators on developing trauma informed pedagogy in a digital classroom.

Keywords:

Digital media, trauma informed practices, educators.