Social Networking as an Educational Tool

 

In today’s world, internet is an inseparable part of our lives. We use technological tools everyday for everything. Therefore, using those tools for educational purposes is one of the best things we can do with them. With the available sources such as video conferances, online courses, practices that can be made online, e-books, free educational websites and apps, using technology for education is easier in every respect. Additionally, using them creatively and of course, suitably, make learning something that everyone can actually enjoy. Students’ creating an educational blog, for example, is a way to make them use technological tools effectively.

When they create something on their own, they could see what they have learnt in the learning process, and have visible outcomes. Writing about a topic, practicing creative thinking and doing researches to gather the information needed can be a different and entertaining useful development in classes. According to Boyd, social networking sites have three defining characteristics: Profile, traversable, publicly articulated social network and semi-persistent public comments. These three mentioned characteristics do not refer to educational tools directly, but they can be used for this purpose if used wisely.

In social networking, the focus is on participation, rather than publishing. With this in hand, people learn together better with user-generated content. With user-generated content, learners can engage in the construction of this aimed educational experiences. Group activities made in online platforms excite young learners. Learners feel satisfied when their interests are involved in the work they are doing, and since they work together or study with others, each participation adds value to the task. Blogging and social networks are superior tools for students, because using these tools help students to clarify concepts, make meaningful relationships and examine their mental models. As it is stated in the passage, “By providing a compherensive record of how concepts take form through multiple clusters of knowledge, such media can promote more complex and lasting retention of course ideas among students.” (Boettcher,2007)

Social networking use in purpose of education helps students in such ways, and one advantage of this is that students feel less stressed compared to the usual classroom procedure. They do not have to learn something in a certain time as they have access to the given information any time when they have it online. Additionally, teachers should use the most suitable program for their students. Also, with using social networking, students develop critical thinking skills, analysis of the content of websites and they also have a chance to comment each-other’s assignments, as a result, have a different idea about a topic. On the other hand, Cross calls the environment of informal learning a learnscape, which sounds like a landscape. The similarity between them is that in a landscape, the purpose is conceptualizing a pleasing environment. And for a learnscaper, for a teacher, the most important thing should be increasing the organization’s longevity and health, with providing them a safe, stress-free, supportive environment. In this process, teachers should be aware of the fact that it is not their job to control their students, students should not be feel forced to do something. Instead of that, teachers should help their students in reaching their fullest and their highest potential.

According to the studies of student behaviour, Millennials have some common characteristics such as multitasking, preference for the use of visual materials in learning rather than using texts, and preference for interactive activities, studying in groups rather than studying individually. As a result of these characteristics, there are common disadvantages, too. These include lack of attention and reflection, poor text literacy, All of these skills, whether positive or negative, in some ways can be attributed to social networking.