Social networking refers to the practice of expanding one’s social contacts, businesses, ideas, and opinions by building connections through individuals all over the globe. Over the recent years, the world has changed fast. Libraries have transformed from structures swamped by books to storerooms of information. Instead of coming in usual hard copies, now information has been converted to DVDS, eBooks, and online videos. The internet and social media sites have been helpful in the transition of online education. The models of education have changed over the years and matched the modern ways of interactions, styles of communication, students’ engagement, and online learning that is of critical significance. Research has indicated that the number of campus students taking online classes is on the rise (Friedman and Friedman, 2014). In many instances, at least one will find one out of ten students taking an online course. The social network services comprises of a representation of every user, commonly known as profile and their additional links. The essay will talk about social networking in online learning environments as well as the three types of tools used in the networking.
A few years ago, many educational practitioners faced the dilemma of punishing students for misusing the internet especially in sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and My Space. However, there have been robust social educational network sites and tools that have enhanced online learning among different communities. Many educators in support of particular educational sites believe that it is a good way to engage students in learning all over the world. They are able to share ideas and opinions across different continents. In the modern world, the internet is not just perceived as a site for acquiring new information (Srivastava, 2012). A majority of the people have discovered that it can be used to connect millions of people to enhance their businesses as well as maintain long-term interaction with friends and customers all over the globe.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Most educators and advocates of the modern digital world are enthusiastic and certain that social networking motivates the establishment of exchangeable, practical, and social techniques in formal and informal education. When it comes to the formal learning setting, goals and objectives are influenced by an outside organization or agency. When students tweet, text, or blog, it encourages students’ engagement. Since students exhibit different personalities such as being extroverted or introverted, social networking helps people who are shy to express themselves.
Moreover, social network is fundamental in the development of effective learning because it enables educational practitioners to improve the proposed curriculum. When the learning curriculums are incorporated into websites, students are able to access them either intentionally or accidentally thereby encouraging the learning process (Friedman and Friedman, 2014). The method can be termed as informal learning process.
The media today is part of our culture. Since a majority of internet users are teenagers aged thirteen to eighteen who are still developing certain skills, social networking is a major contributor towards this. These participants are able to learn elementary skills like texting and updating a status especially when using Facebook (Roblyer et. al, 2010). Furthermore, developing modern media techniques are very fundamental in assisting the youth to explore the digital world with poise.
In general, the advantages related to social networking concerning academic achievement are many for instance; it helps the students to collaborate and interact with other scholars. Students all over the world are able to share knowledge speedily, which increases productivity and ability to work better in groups. Besides, the time spent in social networking helps students to become conversant with new technology and invent new ideas. Secondly, there is the development of creativity because of the confidence built when people upload their profiles and share new information. It also helps students to enjoy the free business promotions besides marketing themselves. Sites such as LinkedIn help job seekers to sell themselves to potential employees. It contains an individual’s academic profile, their career goals and objectives in the respective fields.
Some of the types of social networking technology used in online learning environments include the Student Room, Academia.edu, and the Math Forum. First, the Student Room website is UK based and has millions of students as well as teachers dedicated to help students with their academic strengths and weaknesses. The four major services the site offer include social learning, community development, supporting students through adjusting and forwarding packages, and sharing academic work that has been done for further critic (http://tsrmatters.com/).
Secondly, the Academia.edu website is worldwide known social network with over thirty million users (http://www.academia.edu/about). It is an academic platform that allows students to upload and share research papers for analysis and further review. The technical team consists of competent staffs that ensure researches are available on the site and are easily accessible. Their motto always remains to “share research.”
Consequently, the Math Forum is a big educational network established to connect students who have passion for maths (http://mathforum.org/about.forum.html). It is known to be the leading mathematics forum on the internet. The online community comprises of students, researchers, parents, education practitioners, and citizens who are interested in mathematics. Some of their objectives include encouraging communication among the users, creating model interactive seminars, proving high quality math papers and content, ensuring the web is more accessible, and giving proposals and reports to the National Science Foundation.
In conclusion, social networking services ensure that learners get a virtual space to air their view. Unlike other sites that are meant for social connections and hobbies like Facebook and Twitter, they are to increase knowledge and contribute to informal learning.
Reference
Friedman, L. W., & Friedman, H. H. (2014) Using social media technologies to enhance online learning Retrieved on 23rd August 2016 from http://www.thejeo.com/Archives/Volume10Number1/Friedman.pdf
Roblyer, M. D., McDaniel, M., Webb, M., Herman, J., & Witty, J. V. (2010) Findings on Facebook in higher education: A comparison of college faculty and student uses and perceptions of social networking sites The Internet and higher education , 13 (3), 134- 140.
Srivastava, P. (2012). Social Networking & Its Impact on Education-System in Contemporary Era: International Journal of Information Technology , 1 (2).
