Educational inequality in the midst of a pandemic: Teachers' views on the role of social media in social inclusion and exclusion

In March 2020 the COVID-19 health emergency obliged national and regional authorities to take protective measures, which included a national lockdown. Education centers had to continue with distance learning using various technological media as their main working tools. However, the exclusive use of these media made the continuity of education difficult. The aim of this study was to establish teachers' opinions on secondary education in the context of digital teaching and the effects on social inclusion and exclusion of students. The study employed a quantitative methodology using a self-administered online questionnaire that was distributed by e-mail to secondary education centers in the Basque Country and Navarre. The results show that fully digital education presents advantages and disadvantages for both students and teachers. The article concludes that social media can promote social inclusion in ideal environments, but that education is not yet in such a position.