Like and learn: a quest to grasp the essence of social media and its benefits in education for the sake of a brighter future A discussion on social media, its impact on online learning, and the difference it makes in the world of education and learning

Malaz Dhirar

Social media, an ever expanding field in today’s technologically driven world and an indispensable part of life. Communication and connections are incredibly important and social media facilitates having both with simply a few clicks. It is a mark of what people can do when they set their minds to it.

With its expansion came new uses, leading to it coming to possess content for nearly everything. One such example is education, where its impact was transformative. Not only do various social media applications allow people to stay in touch, they can interact better, find information easier. All of that and more makes social media a fine companion for seekers of knowledge.  

Social media and education 

The use of social media has had an explosive growth due to its capabilities. They allow students and teachers to connect outside of class, sharing ideas, discussing material, asking questions and generally bonding. Social media is even used to share course practices and respond to feedback. Professionals use social media to share supplementary course materials like video lectures and quizzes. In that same vein, social media has other features that augment the learning process. 

Social media provides learners with a sense of belonging as like minded individuals make a strong support network that enables healthy interactions with one another. It is an easily accessible fount of information which allows the sharing of vital information with a flexible approach that can cater to the students’ needs (1)(2).  

Social media apps and their educational 

Social media platforms vary just as their purposes do. Be it fun, professional business or even learning. In fact, social media has proven to be quite handy in the educational process. Understanding their functions goes a long way to maximizing what people get out of it (3)(4). 

Facebook, the most infamous social media platform, allows the creation of study groups where people can share lesson materials, ask questions or even promote courses. Pinterest is all about photos, users can create boards and pin photos. A board can be used to inform students about courses or providing resources to help with homework. Then there’s YouTube, likely the favored platform for many educators. It has videos for practically everything, numerous courses lying in wait for just a few clicks. These are just a few examples of why social media can be a boon for educators and students alike. 

All in all, social media is a vast field that continues to expand as time passes, a mark of innovation and human potential. Education is just another area where it has proven its worth and students continue to reap the benefits to this day. Remember that people can have a veritable treasure trove of information just a few clicks away and don’t hesitate to make the most of this versatile tool.