The preceding decade ushered in quite a few prominent changes in technology, namely social media. It began as a concept of fun but essentially became a significant part of our lives. Moreover, organizations from various domains understood the business value that social media brought with its popularity, and thus embraced the idea with open arms.
When it came to education, the field quickly adapted to the nuances of social media, knowing how it will help the education domain grow in various ways.
Here are 7 ways social media is helping education today:
1. Limitless resource
Earlier it was tough to develop a new skill or learn a new topic, as there was no availability of tutorials. To learn something, one had to enrol into a course that taught a particular set of subjects.
Today, YouTube has transformed the way one learns, thanks to millions of free online tutorials. Any subject or topic one wants to learn about is easily available on YouTube.
Moreover, finding these tutorials is also extremely easy. If someone wants to learn guitar a simple search with keywords like ‘how to play the guitar?’ will result in thousands of videos within no time.
Whether one wants to learn a new skill, write a college assignment, or understand new technology, YouTube and social media offers limitless resources.
2. Global learning
A few years ago, anyone wishing to gain skills with respect to a new technology launched in another part of the world, it wasn’t uncommon for them to travel to that specific country. Today, Facebook groups have transformed global learning.
There are Facebook groups dedicated to various topics, where educators and experts in various subjects carry out live lectures.
With Facebook groups, one student who resides in India can learn from the expert who lives in the USA, without having to spend a single penny on travelling.
3. Easy accessibility
Earlier if one wanted the help of an expert to understand some concept, or just wanted to clear some doubts, it was difficult to reach out and connect to the expert in that subject. In case, someone had access to their email id, there was no guarantee that the expert would reply.
Today, Twitter has changed the way we connect.
With Twitter, one can find an ocean of experts who can be connected easily by sending a tweet. Moreover, experts and educators also reply to queries faster.
4. Learning through images
To grasp a solid understanding of certain subjects, it’s essential to study diagrams and other relevant images. Earlier finding diagrams and related images was a tedious task because most times, one was required to go through a lot of books to find what they need.
Today, Instagram has changed the way images are shared, searched and watched.
With the help of the right hashtag, one can find the right image, which can provide a clear understanding of a specific topic.
Various educators use Instagram to share pictures associated with different subjects to provide a better understanding of the particular subject.
5. Quick interaction and sharing
Interaction with each other, and group discussions are an essential part of learning, it clear doubts and help in case someone misses a certain point.
A few years ago, it was not possible to have group discussions outside of a school or college classroom.
Today, thanks to WhatsApp groups, it has become possible to have a group discussion at any time of the day.
Important information and notes can be quickly shared with anyone who also has access to WhatsApp.
6. Cost-effective and convenient
Before technology became a part of daily life, consuming knowledge was both time consuming and costly. Since information was not easily available in one place, many had to visit libraries to study certain subjects.
Today, social media has revolutionized the way we create, share and learn things. Most of the resources are available for free and can be accessed from anywhere.
Learning only requires an internet connection. With social media, learning has become cost-effective and convenient.
7. Ample opportunities
Earlier searching for a job was a tough task. One needed to go through various newspapers or were required to visit companies to find out about any vacancy. Today, with Linkedin and Facebook Jobs organizations are easily sharing information about current openings, and one can easily apply.
Social media has opened a wide door of opportunities for everyone.
For students, this is a golden opportunity since they can directly connect with multiple organizations while they pursue their degree.
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These are just a few ways in which the adoption of social media is helping the education field. In the end, we can conclude that social media offers limitless resources and benefits in terms of gaining knowledge, learn new skills, but also excel in career due to the ample opportunities.
[“source=indiatoday”]
