Students get real-world business experience in course focusing on social media and internet apps

March 9, 2023

By Chloe Sanchez
Staff Writer

Students looking to learn the ins and outs of running a social media account for a business may be interested in signing up for Principles of Business: Social Media and Internet Apps, which is one of LHS’ newest electives.

Introduced this school year, students enrolled in the half-year course worked on an online simulation where they acted as social media experts for a company, answering emails, addressing customer complaints and making sales by posting on different social media platforms, all while trying to make the most money. 

The course, which is taught by Mrs. Huntington and Mrs. Jankowski, also addresses the history of social media apps including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Jankowski said students who take this class will walk away understanding the pros and cons of social media.

“There [are] a lot of both. We need it, but, at the same time, it could be dangerous,” Jankowski said.

Both Huntington and Jankowski said the class is a great elective option since many colleges are beginning to offer majors relating to social media.

“This class will introduce them or really give [students] the behind-the-scenes look at social media platforms. Maybe they would like to go into this and do this for a living because it’s a whole new thing that no one’s really touched on yet,” Jankowski said.

Huntington said students interested in business will benefit from taking this class.

“It’s all about business, how business works, the inner workings [and] how decisions are made,” Huntington said. “It is all based on real-time data.”

Huntington said the class will help students prepare for their futures.

“Knowing how to make a decision and how to research the information necessary to make a decision [is important],” Huntington said.

Students spend most of the class time completing a simulation where they work as social media managers for a made-up company called Buhi, and their boss assigns them tasks to help promote the business. The simulation also provides feedback on each post to help students improve. They are presented with different choices, and the goal of the simulation is to make the most money. 

Junior Joshua Machcinski, who was in Huntington’s class last semester, said he enjoyed it and recommends it to other students.

“It’s all about business, how business works, the inner workings [and] how decisions are made.”

“Knowing the different target markets that different social media apps use against different ages was the most useful thing I learned,” Machcinski said.

As well as learning about target markets and how to promote products based on the people one is trying to reach, students are able to review analytics to understand how people are influenced to buy products.

“The work in the class is pretty easy, and there isn’t any homework unless you don’t complete the work given in class,” Machcinski said.

Sophomore Skyler Montillo, who was in Jankowski’s class last semester, said she learned a lot about how to promote a brand and recognize online scams.

“This class is essential because with social media growing with each generation, it is important to learn how to be safe while using it,” Montillo said.  

She said the class has exposed her to skills she could use professionally.

“This class will benefit me in the future because now I know how to promote myself and another brand on social media,” said Montillo.