CultusThe trend of using social media, especially among the young people, is growing at a fast pace. In fact, social media platforms, like Facebook, have become part and parcel of today’s students’ lives. They have become an integral part of how these students express themselves and communicate with others. But entertainment is not the only purpose served by these websites. The educational applications of these sites are no less valuable. Social media can help students with their studies in many different ways, including preparing for exams. Hence, in order to fully benefit from these technological advancements, students, as well as their parents and teachers, need to be fully aware of the various ways through which they can use social media to their advantage. Here we discuss some of these ways:
Scheduling
Teachers can create class Facebook pages which can be used to post announcements of upcoming assignment deadlines. Also, a course Twitter feed can be utilized in order to provide students with information regarding class tests and other relevant events. This would help the students remain aware of looming deadlines for assignment submissions, and enable them to work on time to be able to timely submit their assignments.
Effective communication
Aside from the usual communication that these websites are used for, social media provides a platform for studies-related communication that enhances the students’ learning outcomes. Normally, outside the class communication is held among students either face-to-face or through some person-to-person method like email. These methods have a serious drawback. The information discussed is shared only amongst the brightest students, which in turn reinforces their success. Those who are already struggling in their studies and are not as ambitious, remain deprived of the information shared and hence tend to lag behind their classmates. When social media is used for class communication, the discussions are available for all to see and benefit from. Facebook and Twitter can be used for asking questions, and discussing what has been learnt in class.
Sharing study materials
Social media websites can be used to provide study materials to the students which they can either go through in class, or use at home. Links to educational videos present on video sharing sites can be added to social media posts. These links connect the students to the resource, something which was not possible before the advent of social media. What’s more is that the students can give their comments and discuss their viewpoints regarding the video under the post. Other students can then benefit from not only the video itself, but also the discussions on it.
Disadvantages
Social media has its disadvantages too. In the view of some teachers, social media debates and messages are not effective tools for conveying the complexity and depth of a subject. Highly complex debates have the tendency to get oversimplified when conducted on social media platforms. But, as all the above-mentioned advantages of using social media for educational purposes show, social media can be a great tool to help students with their studies. Even though they have their limitations, social media websites can be highly beneficial to the students if utilized properly.
Author’s Bio:
Ashley Albert is a technology specialist who is also interested in the field of education. Her articles on Essay Writing Service inform teachers and students about the ways in which technological advancements can be helpful for educational purposes. You can also follow her at different social networks like Twitter, Facebook and G+.