Just like other fields, the industry of education has also been digitalized for a long now. However, the events of 2020 accelerated this process and social media came along. Many educationists are now using and promoting the use of social media in the education industry. Wondering why is that? Read on to find the top 18 benefits of using social media in the education industry.
In 2020, owing to the spread of the novel coronavirus, governments across the globe had to implement nationwide and/or citywide lockdowns. This not only forced people to work remotely through online mediums, but students also had to take online classes. Be it attending lectures, submitting assignments, or making presentations, everything had to be done online. Though the education industry has been no alien to digitalization, it was almost completely digitalized at some point in the last year.
Social media platforms have users of all ages ranging from teenagers to old-timers. Apparently, students also use these channels. In fact, most social media users are teenagers and young adults. And apart from entertainment, many use it for educational purposes too. For example, there are many educational groups and pages on Facebook.
The point is, most students are on social media. Hence with the increasing digitalization, it has become an important part of the education sector.
Still not convinced that social media can improve the education field? Read below to find…
How Social Media Benefits the Education Industry in 18 Ways
#1. Distance Learning
Distance learning implies receiving an education without being physically present at the school. Traditionally, it meant that the school would provide instructional materials to help students study on their own and appear for the exams based on that. However, the modern concept of distance learning, a part of thanks to social media, implies online teaching. Teachers are now able to interact with students on a regular basis through social networking mediums.
#2. Easy and quick communication
Another very big advantage of integrating social media in education is that it paves way for easy and quick communication. If a student faces a challenge while studying, he/she can immediately get in touch with the teacher through social messengers (like WhatsApp, Kids Messenger, etc.)
#3. Better collaborations
Group projects are an important part of education. They help students learn some valuable lessons like teamwork, management, delegation, responsibility, accountability, diverse perspectives, and so on. However, in the traditional education system, students had to be dependent on physical meetings. But now, they can easily connect with each other through social platforms. As a result, they would be able to collaborate better and get the best out of group projects.
#4. Interact better with classmates
It has been proven that interaction facilitates better learning. Social channels also allow students to interact better with their classmates. Hence, this is another way social media benefits the education industry.
#5. Facilitates parental involvement
Through social media, parents can stay involved in their child’s learning. By following the social handles of your child’s school, you can stay updated about the on-going activities, projects, and events. Some schools also create groups on social messengers like WhatsApp that enables fast and smooth communication between the teachers and the students. This way, they can keep a track of their child’s academic performance and monitor it.
#6. Study-resource sharing
Remember the days when the teacher would give her copy of the notes and ask a student to get it copied and distributed? We were at the mercy of that class-fellow to get our notes. However, with social media, teachers can now easily distribute study materials directly to each student much easily.
#7. Connect with other students across the globe
The world is on social media, and so are the students of different nations and regions. With the help of such platforms, students can connect with other students across the globe. This exposure will help them learn about different countries, cultures, education systems, and so on.
#8. Social media can substitute ISEPs
International Student Exchange Programs are those where educational institutes from two or more countries exchange their students for a semester/year, or so. However, such programs are not affordable for most due to the costs involved. But social media can help fill this gap too. Schools of different nations can effectively arrange ISEP-like programs with the help of social media.
#9. Get to know about different cultures
By connecting with people across the world, students can learn about different nations and cultures. Hence, this social media in the education industry facilitate cultural learning.
#10. Learn international languages
By communicating with people across the globe, one can learn different languages. In fact, there are several social media groups especially made for language learning where members help each other. Hence, schools should try to procure such online spaces for their students to help them develop language skills.
#11. Improve communication skills
Interacting with people who have a different tongue, nationality, geography, and so on, requires one to push their cognitive limits. Hence, social media can help students polish their communication skills. In fact, interacting with one’s classmates and teachers through the medium of messages can also help improve written communication skills.
#12. Connect with different scholars across the globe
Many social media influencers are scholars and academicians. Just like any other influencer, they maintain a profile by posting content related to their niche. By following such scholars, students can learn a lot and can get a lot of exposure without even having to step out of their house.
#13. Educational content on social media
There are different social media handles that keep post educational content. By following the right social handles and pages, students can get their hands on different educational content in the form of articles, videos, etc. This way, students can learn so much.
#14. Something new to learn everyday
For effective online marketing, educational accounts regularly post content. There are new posts every single day. Hence, on social media, students can learn something new every single day.
#15. Enriching discussions
Social networking sites like Quora are great for online discussion. On such forums, you can find/create discussion about anything—and that includes different educational subjects too. Students can post questions and get answers direct from the experts.
#16. Joining educational events
Every other day, there are some or the other online events going on. Different universities keep organizing e-lectures every now and then. By forming the right social links, students can get notified about such events and participate in them. Learning from different professors and experts can help them have a fascinating learning experience.
#17. Visual learning
It’s been found that visuals can make the learning experience more enriching. Images and videos are powerful psychological tools. Social media is full of such videos and infographics that can help students understand complex concepts with ease. For visual learning, social networking sites like YouTube and Pinterest can come really handy.
#18. Social media marketing
What do students need social media marketing for? Well, organizing events is an important part of extracurricular skill development in high-schools and universities. For the success of such events, it is important to market them on social channels. Hence, social media plays an important role in promoting educational events. This is the place where you find most of your target audience for school and college events. By this way you can take benefits of using social media in education industry.
Wrapping up
The strengths of digitalization are reflected in its contribution to the education sector. The modern-day education system has led the way for a great learning experience. One of the key ways in which digitalization has helped the education industry is through social media. With the help of social networking sites, students can get great exposure, connect with their teachers and peers better, and learn in the best ways possible.
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