In today’s world of connected learning, the impact of social media on education is becoming a driving factor. The world is getting smaller, and through the use of technology such as social media, the way we deliver instruction is changing. Social media and education can complement one another if utilized effectively. The technology referred to here includes social media technologies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat. The technologies that allow these platforms to function are also one of the driving forces behind the impact of this technology on education. The recent outage of Facebook and its family of apps, including Instagram and WhatsApp, took out a vital communications platform used by billions and showcasing just how dependent the world has become on one company. In light of this, it is important to understand the impact of and reliance on social media platforms by educational facilities as well as their students.
There are positive and adverse effects of social networking to students, and the jury is still out on what (concerning) the long-term effects of social media exposure may have. Social media and education are not historically allies and many educators see social media as a determent (deterrent) to real learning. This is changing as the cloud-based nature of social media for collaborating on projects is evolving (growing) into a relevant (pertinent) and useful technology. Facebook has the ability to create rooms and video chat with invitees. This is great for student projects which rely upon successful collaboration given that the global pandemic has shut down so many face-to face- interactions.
For example, video presentation platforms, such as Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, or Web video conferencing such as Cisco Webex, have allowed instruction to be delivered across great distances. No longer is it necessary for a faculty member to be in the same room as the students. These technologies have given rise to the flipped classroom model and changed the way knowledge is conveyed to students. Faculty today must be more technologically savvy than any generation previously, as the students not only prefer communication through these mediums, they expect it. The adoption of social media in everyday life is one of the driving forces behind these changing expectations and how social media is changing education. Today’s students want to connect with other people in higher numbers than old school educators may think. There is a complete industry of applications that are designed to help people increase their social media following.
The emerging role of social media in the teaching-learning process cannot be ignored. It not only provides students access to useful information, but also connects them to (with) learning groups and other educational systems that make their overall learning process more interesting and engaging.
Social platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram are being used by almost everyone. These social channels are all about collaborating, networking, sharing and generating knowledge and content – something which is of great value in the context of education. Educational institutions should be wary of not becoming too reliant on social media platforms as the only means of communicating with students and presenting coursework. Independent channels, like a responsive website, is an important measure to safeguard business continuity without reliance on a third party.
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