What Motivates Teachers to Follow Educational Influencers?

The headlines speak for themselves: “Teacher earns US$ 4 million a year teaching online”; “After nearly going bankrupt, teacher grows 158% and earns nearly half a million a year”; “Outside the classroom, teachers become millionaires living off education.” These sensational stories about educational influencers lead us to question what this teaching model represents for other educators, especially in a context where the internet and social media are playing an increasingly significant role in teachers' lives, both for professional development and for exchanging experiences. An example of this phenomenon can be seen in a study conducted by DataFolha, which asked participants if they knew any influencers in the field of education. While 26% stated that they either didn’t know or couldn’t remember any, the most frequently mentioned profile among those who followed educational influencers was that of science teacher Rafaela Lima. With a YouTube channel that has more than 12 million views, Rafaela creates content aimed at elementary education. Her visibility even earned her a feature in Folha de S.Paulo, where she explained that, although she considers herself a digital influencer, this is a side income that supplements her regular work as a teacher in both the state school system in Rio de Janeiro and in the municipal school system of Queimados, in the Baixada Fluminense region. "The internet is unstable; there are very good periods when online income is much higher than that from the classroom, but there are also times when it is much worse" (Lovisi, 2024). Lima's case demonstrates the complex realities of this phenomenon, as she balances her online presence with her traditional teaching roles. To further explore this phenomenon, this paper investigates the reasons behind educators' engagement with educational influencers and the broader impact on their professional practices. An online survey was conducted with 175 teachers in the state of São Paulo, seeking to identify the most popular channels and influencers among teachers, as well as the main motivators behind their decisions to follow these influencers. Literature Review Research on educational influencers in the United States suggests that frequent online engagement with these figures can impact educators' work practices and professional identities (Carpenter et al., 2023). The growing popularity of digital influencers in education, as noted by Schroeder et al. (2023), may lead teachers to alter their identity structures to better align with the online environment created by influencers. In Brazil, Biadeni and Castro (2021) highlight that "edutubers" stand out for their use of multimedia resources and informal language, aligning with social media dynamics where brand partnerships are part of their business model. This phenomenon influences not only teaching methods but also lifestyles and identities, going beyond formal education. Results The data collected indicated that 56% of respondents use social media daily, while 28% use it on some days of the week. Additionally, 67% reported that social media is part of their professional life. While the allure of online fame and fortune might be a factor in the rise of educational influencers, our findings indicate that this is not the primary driver for teachers who follow them. When asked whether they had ever considered starting an online channel and leaving the classroom, 84% of respondents said no, suggesting that teachers are seeking something else from these channels. A noteworthy finding was that 64 teachers follow digital influencers' channels. The main reasons for following these channels, in order of frequency, were: seeking tips on how to act in the classroom, getting guidance on teaching specific subjects, staying updated on political and state-related changes affecting the teaching profession, and following channels with motivational messages. Discussion The results suggest that social media plays an important role in the professional lives of teachers. This finding aligns with studies that emphasize the growing presence of digital platforms in educational settings. The fact that many teachers follow digital influencers for educational tips and career updates reflects the increasing reliance on social media as a source of professional development. These results also highlight the importance of staying informed about political changes affecting education, which is consistent with research indicating that teachers must navigate evolving educational policies. Conclusion Although educational influencers are actors involved in platform dynamics and media marketing, they serve as references for educators. In addition to influencing pedagogical practices, they also seem to have an impact on the political ideas surrounding the work of primary education teachers in Brazil. Future research could investigate how different types of educational content affect teachers' approach to teaching, as well as whether the practices acquired through these influencers lead to positive outcomes in classroom engagement. Furthermore, exploring the long-term effects of social media engagement on professional development could provide valuable insights into the evolving role of digital platforms in education. References Biadeni, B. S., & Castro, G. G. S. (2021). Edutubers: Reconfiguraciones de formas de enseñar a partir del uso de las plataformas de redes sociales. In A. García-Jiménez, D. Barredo-Ibáñez, & M. Rodrigues-da-Cunha (Eds.), Nuevas audiencias, consumidores y culturas digitales (pp. 117-126). Colección Mundo Digital. https://doi.org/10.14198/MEDCOM/2021/16_cmd Carpenter, J. P., Shelton, C. C., & Schroeder, S. E. (2022). The education influencer: A new player in the educator professional landscape. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 55(5), 749–764. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2022.2030267. Lovisi, P. (2024). Professora criada em favela do Rio é influencer de educação mais citada do Brasil, diz Datafolha. Folha de S.Paulo. https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/tec/2023/06/professora-criada-em-favela-d… Schroeder, S., Shelton, C., & Curcio, R. (2023). Crafting the consumer teacher: education influencers and the figured world of K-12 teaching. Learning, Media and Technology, 49(3), 442–455. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2023.2207140