Social Media in a New Era: Pandemic, Pitfalls, and Possibilities

Abstract

As an international team (US and Spain), we write these words while both our countries and the rest of the world are in the throes of a pandemic. We are all social-distancing, and the normalcy we once took for granted has shifted dramatically, leaving us to struggle to find our equilibrium. The shift has been significant for every aspect of life, particularly for educational institutions. For many, this quick transition has not been a smooth one as the means to execute high-quality online education are somewhat limited and require systems to adapt quickly. We will use this commentary to outline some of our thoughts amidst this unprecedented time and to explore social media, the pandemic, pitfalls, and possibilities as we move forward into new futures.