In the last few years, the Internet has radically changed the education sector. In addition to this, social media made an impact on many segments including education, and because of that managed to increase the interest among young students towards them.
No wonder that these days the communication environment is changed completely and so students, teachers, and educators can connect with each other with the help of social media on equal terms.
Some schools and colleges allow children to use social networks for communication and achieving goals.
Students using social media for education have so many benefits. Such students usually are strongly involved in the curriculum, while the teachers can increase their involvement by using social media.
Social media has become one of the main tools for learning more about all possible subjects. With the help of technology and social media, students around the world are getting the chance to receive an education in the best possible way. Also, social media play an important role in recruiting, marketing and PR.
Here are a few steps that show how social networks are changing the education system.
Source: https://www.pexels.com/ (Free image)
Using social media apps
There is an amount of social networking apps that are specifically designed for educational purposes. These interactive free and paid applications are effectively used by students and teachers for communicating and increasing vocabulary.
Also, these apps allow getting extra education. Many apps even allow students to learn about the latest developments in the education sector.
With the help of these apps, any student can constantly improve their level of knowledge, practice with various exercises and study topics even without the help of a teacher.
Building your online reputation
Your social reputation can be a good recommendation these days. Tests and certificates have proven themselves and are still used today, but nowadays it is your online reputation that allows you to show who you are and what you know.
If at school you were an active participant in various developmental activities and you have evidence of this in your social networks, then this can be considered as a good recommendation for colleges or universities. Such activities in higher education institutions can be further considered as an item in your resume. Also, social reputation is very important if you are looking for a job on social networks.
Creating student learning networks
In the era of social media, the teacher is no longer a learning center.
One of the most important things a teacher can do is to support students in developing a powerful training network. Digital literacy and knowledge of how to use social media right are what students need to connect with others who share their passions, talents, and interests.
This requires an understanding of how social networks work, and how to find the right people for reliable and responsible communication. It also requires an understanding of how to use these tools effectively to connect, collaborate, and grow.
Source: https://www.pexels.com/ (Free image)
Connecting with experts
Social media allow you to change the paradigm from "teacher" as an expert to "group" as an expert. Instead of sending emails to several people who may know the answers, you can ask the world community on social networks. The ability to ask a question absolutely any time and get an answer quickly is very convenient.
This helps you save time and get quality answers because there is a large audience where you can find experts on any topic. If you know the correct hashtags or keywords, you have access to the best knowledge in the world at your fingertips.
Showing your work to the world
Before now students from different educational institutions could conduct research on the same topic but did not have the opportunity to compare their work. Social media made that possible and have become a good tool for sharing knowledge outside the classroom.
Getting students feedback
The authorities cannot request feedback from each student manually. However, with the help of applications, students can enthusiastically participate in providing feedback on something.
In addition, this feedback can be sent anonymously, which allows students to express their thoughts honestly without worrying that this will somehow affect their grades. Thus, the school administration can get the most complete and accurate picture of how do their actions affect the student community.
Using social media for research.
There are two main ways to research a topic: you can find a book with the right information or search for data somewhere online.
Social media allows us to find and study cause and effect paper topics, publish results and verify statements much faster than before. Social networks can tell you what's going on without waiting for the official news to be published.
When learning involves recent events or problems, social media can be used as a tool for researching the latest data on them. Nevertheless, any respectable scientific research does not yet accept social media as a trustworthy data source, so there is no way to officially use them like that.
Source: https://www.pexels.com/ (Free image)
Using social media for internships and exchange programs
Currently, many colleges and schools conduct an online selection of exchange courses with foreign educational institutions. Thus, students get the opportunity to discuss the various elements of the curriculum and the possibilities for further study. Moreover, internship programs are also discussed and disseminated on the Internet.
Providing distance learning
Technology along with social media plays an important role in bringing education to a new level. Distance learning is a prime example of this achievement. It models outstripped classical education. A student from any part of the country can complete higher studies through a distance learning program.
To support technology, providers use the latest online tools to exchange learning materials and encourage communication with students.
Skype is one of such online tools that helps teachers and students stay connected and communicate with each other. Using this technology, teachers can easily deliver lectures to students, which is much simpler and more fun than in the classroom.
Source: https://www.pexels.com/ (Free image)
Today, many schools across the world have replaced blackboards with tablets and projectors allowing students to understand the technologies and to use social media apps for engagement in the educational process.
Education is a complex process but nowadays many social media help the school and university students to make it easier. They can get regular updates regarding exams, syllabus, helpful tips and other useful information anytime. Social media is the best way to connect with other students and gain more exposure towards the subject.
The best thing about social media is there is no hierarchy involved. It encourages both teachers and students to communicate and share their thoughts and opinions about the syllabus.
Direct interaction, easy access and spreading of education to a huge young learning audience makes the social networks a great learning tool.
There is no doubt that social networks affect the education system now and will become a fundamental part of the educational process in the near future.
If you have any thoughts about this topic, please leave comments below.