Social media is defined as any form of online publication or presence that allows interactive communication, including, but not limited to, social networks, blogs, internet websites, internet forums, and wikis. Examples of social media include, but are not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, and Flickr.
Social networking communities are here to stay. Facebook has over 500 million users, while Twitter has over 200 million. That’s not even counting blogs or YouTube video blogs. There’s no doubt that students are actively engaged in online communities, but what kind of effects are these sites having and how can parents counteract the bad and bolster the positive?
The positive effects of social networking sites in education are profound. It has increased the rate and quality of collaboration for students. They are better able to communicate meeting times or share information quickly, which can increase productivity and help them learn how to work well in groups. It also teaches students skills they’ll need to survive in the business world. Being able to create and maintain connections to many people in many industries is an integral part of developing a career or building a business.
But the more time students spend on social sites, the less time they spend socializing in person. Because of the lack of body signals and other nonverbal cues, like tone and inflection, social networking sites are not an adequate replacement for face-to-face communication. Students who spend a great deal of time on social networking are less able to effectively communicate in person. Many students rely on the accessibility of information on social media specifically and the web in general to provide answers. That means a reduced focus on learning and retaining information.
The impact of social media on students can be positive or negative, depending on how a student uses its capabilities. If a student simply wastes time reading one status update after another, he or she will probably not have as much time to devote to homework, nor the attention span to do so. However, students can also use social media positively to connect with fellow students, teachers, and prospective colleges and explore the wealth of educational information and diverse opinions shared on the World Wide Web.
Infographics provided below from OnlineUniversities.com that illustrates how schools have fared with social media over the last few years, what platforms are best, where they’ve succeeded, and the challenges that lay ahead.
Any advancement in technology has its supporter and its detractors. By all accounts, it appears that we may be at the tip of an educational revolution, where the impact of social media is radically changing the way education has been traditionally delivered. Time will tell whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks but one thing is certain social media is having, and will continue to have, a lasting impact on the education field.
