The Role Of Social Media In Education

Introduction

It was observed in a survey that about 71% of people aged between 19-24 are on Instagram. There is a huge amount of youth population already present on just one social media platform.

Thus, it has become necessary to realize social media’s role in the education sector. This blog discusses the importance of social media, its benefits to education, and the youth’s need to use such platforms. 

How Does Social Media Help In Education?

There are numerous benefits to social media in general. However, the following are a few benefits that these platforms offer to the education sector:

• Bridging Cultural Gaps

With the assistance of social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, kids from all cultural backgrounds might interact and exchange stories. This alternative encourages inclusivity and cultural understanding. 

International cooperation projects and social media cultural programs are examples of how we can educate students about numerous cultures and viewpoints while creating an international perspective in their minds.

• Encouraging Creativity and Innovation

Students can use social media sites like Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram as creative outlets. They are encouraged to assume and creatively present their thoughts on these sites. 

Instructors can use these sites as tools to assist students creatively through various media types, such as infographics and movies, for assignments and other initiatives. 

• Enhancing Parental Involvement

Student success depends on parental involvement in the educational process. Social media makes this less complicated by giving parents a way to keep a glimpse of their kids’ academic success and sports. 

With applications like ClassDojo and Facebook groups for schools, parents can showcase their children’s academic progress, interact with instructors, and participate in college activities.

• Facilitating Real-Time Feedback

Instant comments are made available via social media, which can work well for instructors and students alike. Quick assessments using polls and stories can be carried out on social media sites like Instagram and Twitter. 

Additionally, teachers can regulate their coaching techniques based on pupil responses, and higher-study students can learn from their errors and improve through these real-time remarks.

Need For Social Media In Education

It is natural to ask, why do we even need social media in the education sector? To answer the same, the following are a few reasons that showcase the need for social media in this sector:

• Enhancing Learning Opportunities

Social media makes educational resources more broadly accessible than most effective traditional classrooms and textbooks. 

Numerous tutorials, lectures, and publications on several disciplines are available on LinkedIn Learning and YouTube. Since those sources are cheap or free, a wider audience can now get access to education. 

Additionally, one can also become an educational influencer, buy Instagram followers initially, and start building a brand that shares information on important educational topics.

• Interactive Learning

Dynamic mastering reviews can be obtained through live streaming, webinars, and interactive assessments on websites like Facebook Live and Instagram Live. These assets increase student engagement and leisure while making hard topics less difficult for them to apprehend.

• Connecting Students and Educators

Social media helps teachers and college students communicate better with each other. The ongoing communication helps in creating a personalized academic approach.

Apps like WhatsApp, Slack, and Facebook Groups allow students to constantly communicate, ask questions, get clarification, and get help with their studies. 

• Connecting and collaborating outside the classroom

Social media helps students expand collaboration skills, that are important in the modern-day workforce as it lets them collaborate on assignments and initiatives. 

Group assignments and management are made easier using apps like Google Drive, Trello, and Discord, which let students work collectively and efficiently regardless of their location.

• Developing Critical Thinking and communicating Skills

Students are encouraged to interact with different viewpoints on social media, which fosters critical thinking. By inspecting statistics from more than one resource on sites like Reddit and Twitter, students can learn how to separate fake statistics from dependable sources. 

Regular social media participation additionally enables college students to improve their verbal communication skills by teaching them how to express themselves in both online and offline settings.

• Preparing for the Digital Economy

Pupils who are talented with social media platforms are greater equipped to thrive within the new age digital economic system. 

They get the know-how on the way to create professional online personas, connect to commercial enterprise leaders, and keep up with the latest improvements and trends in the field they may be interested in.

Challenges and Considerations To Take Into Account:

While social media brings in a lot of positive changes, there are some challenges that one needs to be aware of whilst introducing the same to the educational sector:

• Cyberbullying 

Cyberbullying is one of the principal problems with social media within the lecture room. Students may also enjoy cyberbullying, harassment, or derogatory remarks, which can hurt their intellectual well-being and academic fulfillment. 

Establishing clear requirements to address cyberbullying, coaching children on digital etiquette, and fostering a secure online surrounding are all important responsibilities for schools and parents.

• Privacy Issues

Another main problem with social media use in education is privacy problems. Shared personal statistics on these networks can be abused by ill-intentioned people. 

Teachers and students need to be informed about privacy settings and how to defend private data. Strict guidelines should be established to protect a scholar’s online privacy.

• Balancing Screen Time

Overusing displays may have poor fitness effects on students, including strained eyes, terrible posture, and disturbed sleep. Finding a balance between online and offline pastimes is essential. 

In addition to virtual learning, teachers should emphasize in-person interactions and physical activities for kids. This will help in regulating the physical and social needs of students.

Conclusion

Social media has unquestionably changed the education sector in many ways. It has brought many advantages, such as better mastering chances, extra teamwork, and acquiring crucial digital talents. 

Additionally, social media brings up problems that should be resolved to ensure stable and well-rounded learning surroundings. We must give students easy access to social media to avoid malpractices and solve issues regularly.

Educators, students, and parents should use social media to create more dynamic and inclusive studying surroundings. This should be done by utilizing its great characteristics and minimizing its dangers.