Do you want to ditch your final exam? A TikTok video with 1 million views might do it!
In fact, a viral TikTok video has earned a group of Chapman University students a pass on their final exam, according to a report by The Straits Times.
A teenager presents a smartphone with the logo of Chinese social network Tik Tok, on January 21, 2021 in Nantes, western France.
TikTok Cancels the Final Exam
The challenge was laid down by their influencer marketing course professor, Matthew Prince, who is also a public relations executive at Taco Bell. He offered to cancel the final exam if anyone in the class could create a TikTok video that received one million views before he did.
Sophomore student Sylvie Bastardo, seated at the back of the class, captured the challenge on her iPhone and posted it on TikTok.
Within a day, she had achieved her goal of one million views, and her professor had already "duetted" her video. Prince brought Bastardo to the front of the lecture hall at the start of the next class and announced that the final exam was canceled. Bastardo took a bow while the other students applauded.
Bastardo's video has since received more than five million views, with a follow-up video about her success viewed more than a million times. Most of the feedback for the challenge has been positive, but there have been some criticisms.
A Facebook discussion group for social media professors had a naysayer who downplayed the role of influencers and the study. Prince stated that he intended to teach his students firsthand about the possibilities of social media.
Some instructors even use social media in their lesson plans as it has grown important as a tool in the classroom. For instance, Duke University offers a course instructing students to develop their own brands online.
At the Goizueta Business School at Emory University, Professor Marina Cooley assigned her class to create a TikTok account and post a video that would be worth 20% of their final grade, as per The Strait Times' report.
Read Also: French Government Bans Recreational Apps from Government Devices, Including TikTok, Twitter, & More
Social Media in Education
The use of social media in education has been met with mixed reactions. Some believe it provides a unique opportunity for students to learn more engagingly and interactively, while others see it as a distraction and a hindrance to traditional learning.
However, as social media continues to play an increasingly important role in our lives, likely, its use in education will only continue to grow.
For Bastardo and her classmates, the viral TikTok video allowed them to pass their final exam and gave them a unique and unforgettable experience.
While the use of social media in the classroom may not be for everyone, this story shows that it can be a powerful tool for engagement and learning.
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