Fostering Sustainable Behavior through Informal Education on Social Media: The Role of Instagram in Shaping Student Lifestyles
In today's digital society, the quest for sustainable development requires a paradigm shift in policy making, education, and individual lifestyle choices. This study explores the impact of informal education through communication technologies, with a specific focus on the social media network I...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Sciendo
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Research on Education and Media |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.2478/rem-2024-0014 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850283349414772736 |
|---|---|
| author | Bush Annika Löns Maike |
| author_facet | Bush Annika Löns Maike |
| author_sort | Bush Annika |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In today's digital society, the quest for sustainable development requires a paradigm shift in policy making, education, and individual lifestyle choices. This study explores the impact of informal education through communication technologies, with a specific focus on the social media network Instagram, to promote education for sustainable development and resulting sustainable behaviors. Based on the understanding that informal learning plays a crucial role in shaping individual attitudes and behaviors, our research seeks to uncover how students learn about sustainability in a less structured, more spontaneous manner through social media. Using a semi-structured interview methodology, the study examines the impact of sustainability education on Instagram and its role in shaping sustainable lifestyles among student users. The findings highlight the importance of emotional connection to the learning content and the relevance of the topics to everyday life. Having role models and practical tips seems to be crucial not only for learning about sustainability, but also for promoting sustainable behavior. With its various format options and different content creators, Instagram seems to be an ideal medium to raise awareness about sustainability and encourage users to take concrete sustainable actions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8429b504ce2a4e718da70de65adae3db |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2037-0849 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Sciendo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Research on Education and Media |
| spelling | doaj-art-8429b504ce2a4e718da70de65adae3db2025-08-20T01:47:48ZengSciendoResearch on Education and Media2037-08492024-12-0116210.2478/rem-2024-0014Fostering Sustainable Behavior through Informal Education on Social Media: The Role of Instagram in Shaping Student LifestylesBush Annika0Löns Maike11Bielefeld University, Germany2Bielefeld University, GermanyIn today's digital society, the quest for sustainable development requires a paradigm shift in policy making, education, and individual lifestyle choices. This study explores the impact of informal education through communication technologies, with a specific focus on the social media network Instagram, to promote education for sustainable development and resulting sustainable behaviors. Based on the understanding that informal learning plays a crucial role in shaping individual attitudes and behaviors, our research seeks to uncover how students learn about sustainability in a less structured, more spontaneous manner through social media. Using a semi-structured interview methodology, the study examines the impact of sustainability education on Instagram and its role in shaping sustainable lifestyles among student users. The findings highlight the importance of emotional connection to the learning content and the relevance of the topics to everyday life. Having role models and practical tips seems to be crucial not only for learning about sustainability, but also for promoting sustainable behavior. With its various format options and different content creators, Instagram seems to be an ideal medium to raise awareness about sustainability and encourage users to take concrete sustainable actions.https://doi.org/10.2478/rem-2024-0014sustainabilityinformal educationsocial mediainstagramstudent behaviour |
| spellingShingle | Bush Annika Löns Maike Fostering Sustainable Behavior through Informal Education on Social Media: The Role of Instagram in Shaping Student Lifestyles Research on Education and Media sustainability informal education social media student behaviour |
| title | Fostering Sustainable Behavior through Informal Education on Social Media: The Role of Instagram in Shaping Student Lifestyles |
| title_full | Fostering Sustainable Behavior through Informal Education on Social Media: The Role of Instagram in Shaping Student Lifestyles |
| title_fullStr | Fostering Sustainable Behavior through Informal Education on Social Media: The Role of Instagram in Shaping Student Lifestyles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fostering Sustainable Behavior through Informal Education on Social Media: The Role of Instagram in Shaping Student Lifestyles |
| title_short | Fostering Sustainable Behavior through Informal Education on Social Media: The Role of Instagram in Shaping Student Lifestyles |
| title_sort | fostering sustainable behavior through informal education on social media the role of instagram in shaping student lifestyles |
| topic | sustainability informal education social media student behaviour |
| url | https://doi.org/10.2478/rem-2024-0014 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bushannika fosteringsustainablebehaviorthroughinformaleducationonsocialmediatheroleofinstagraminshapingstudentlifestyles AT lonsmaike fosteringsustainablebehaviorthroughinformaleducationonsocialmediatheroleofinstagraminshapingstudentlifestyles |