In this 21st century, education has teamed up with social media to facilitate learning across the globe. From being able to take classes online to having access to online books and readers, social media has also decreased the burden on one’s wallet. From elementary school graduations to obtaining a college degree, social media has every tool the one needs to obtain an accredited education.
Grade schools not only all have websites, but teacher specific web pages that allow teachers to post classroom materials, homework, and grades online. One can also find many interactive and helpful resources online from discussion boards to study groups to online tutors. Even facebook pages and discussion boards are being created for students to directly ask questions and have them answered by teachers and their own peers. Even in elementary schools, blogs are being used in order to teach young children how to read, write, and communicate their thoughts.
In my opinion, the earlier a child starts to use social media towards educative purposes, the better. They say that under the age of 7, a child picks up things as difficult as new languages with ease. Thus, if social media can facilitate learning for such young children, all educational resources should be used to their maximum extent.
If social media is used beginning as early as elementary school, its usages grow exponentially as the level of education grows. “Dartmouth’s latest study showed that 100% of colleges now use some form of social media” from facebook and twitter to LinkedIn and blogs. Professors can easily share classroom materials on social sites, while students use blogs and twitters for discussions and collective learning.
Colleges also use social media to establish a sense of school pride within the college community, while simultaneously attracting prospective students. There are facebook pages that are specifically created to let prospective students tour colleges, see what it is like at that school, and interact with professors and currents students.
The networking scene allows for both students and faculty to join hands with people all around the world. From other students and professors to alumni, networks that reach far and wide are easily accessible. Not only does a social medium allow for safe communities to be made, but it allows for collaboration on an entirely new level.
Social media has revolutionized the way we look at education today. With the availability of online courses, anyone around the world can have access to a college degree. With the availability of classroom readers online alongside a vast student network, textbooks are now available to all without having to spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on texts alone. Social media had advanced the world of education by leaps and bounds.