#WinAtSocial: A great idea (that doesn’t work)

By Gabriel Shen · April 14, 2025

Photo: The Social Institute

Why?

A few years ago, Blake stopped using Common Sense Media and switched to using The Social Institute to educate its students about online safety and management.

Is it working?

In theory, yes. The Social Institute lessons abandon a typical lecture-based format and use an interactive curriculum. This allows students to ponder questions. Instead of just telling students what to believe, it guides them to make their own decisions. Compared to similar curriculum, #WinAtSocial focuses specifically on social media.

So it’s not working

But, in reality, The Social Institute lessons are not working. Students are far from enthusiastic about the lessons and often groan at having to do them. It replaces tutorial, a good thing. Because the lessons are participation based, they need enthusiasm to work. If students are not willing to be invested in the lesson, then the lesson fails to work.

Are there ways to make it work better?

Yes! The best way to make #WinAtSocal work better is to make it less boring. Although the best is for The Social Institute to do it itself, there are many ways that Blake and individual teachers can make it more interesting.

There are ways to make it better

Here are some ways to adapt #WinAtSocial lessons, many of which individual teachers and the school are already doing.

Ways to improve #WinAtSocial

• Avoid using individual laptops. Looking at a common screen eliminates distractions and encourages deeper conversations.
• Set a faster pace. The #WinAtSocial lessons are slow. By going through them faster, teachers can keep students focused.
• Make it a study hall time. Teachers can encourage students to be focused by promising a study hall in the remaining time of the X-block.
• Candy! Candy is a great tool for engagement.

Larger scale solutions

• Schedule #WinAtSocial lessons outside of X-block. Students think of X-block as either a time to get work done or do something fun. #WinAtSocial is neither. By scheduling the lessons at a different time, for example, an extended advisory time, students aren’t missing out on tutorials.
• Enhance the lessons with other resources. The Middle School did this effectively recently with a lesson aimed at having good conversations. They supplied an additional slideshow containing a game, to be used at the end of the lesson.
• Choose better lessons. By choosing lessons that better fit the needs of the middle school as a whole, they can become more engaging and effective.

Should Blake stop using #WinAtSocial?

#WinAtSocial is not a very effective platform. But it may be the best. Blake wants to educate its students about the importance of using technology well. That will never stop. There are hundreds of other online-related curriculums, and Blake has chosen #WinAtSocial as the best one for their circumstances. So, unless a better curriculum is released (one might), #WinAtSocial is one of the best options.