#Repost @alexandriacrowyoga ・・・ What do you think about social media, as a truncated and limited medium, being used as an educational resource? ————————————————————— A little Learning is a dang’rous Thing: Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring: There shallow Draughts intoxicate the Brain, And drinking largely sobers us again. - Alexander Pope - An Essay on Criticism Instead of using social media, Instagram especially, to create connection or to stir up conversation and debate there is a growing trend at the moment in the yoga world towards using it as an educational platform. I understand the desire to use it as such, and I am all for providing content that is accessible and free, I do that myself via other mediums. I also know that the posts I put up do have a public service, community education lean to them, yes. That said instagram isn’t where I provide yoga or yoga teaching content. The format for me has always seemed to lean towards the Pope quote above. I have always had strong concerns about it being used as an educational resource. The short format doesn’t allow for context or framing. This type of content is often done via soundbites and headlines and slick looking graphics. Often these short educational blips are put out by well intentioned people with charism and some marketing skill, but they’re most important attribute seems to be that what they said is delivered with a sense of authority and that it’s quickly and easily digestible which I find concerning. The Dunning Kruger effect is real and I see much of this type of education being used in an overly confident sort of way. I also think it potentially creates harm in that it leaves people right back at a seeking state because all that can really be done with it is to mimics it. The format doesn’t allow for the reasoning and deep transfer of the intention behind the information to be transferred. Nothing is all good or all bad, it really depends. I see pitfalls around the short form education type of post and that topic rarely get discussed. Seeing as that’s what this page is for, let’s discuss it. What do you think of short-form educating via social media? #yogaphysics #modernyoga #yogare https://www.instagram.com/p/B14_5RTDh3_/?igshid=1dq21li25qlgg
