The Impact of Social Media on Education

The Impact of Social Media on Education

1. Introduction

This study discusses the advantages of incorporating social media in education by examining the effects of social media on academics and the quality of education among students. The study also investigates the implications of social media on the teaching and learning process, taking into consideration the perceptions of teachers and students. It also explores how social networking raises the issue of ethicality, an important factor to be considered in the education system, and its implications in fostering professionalism in educational institutes. On the contrary, the study also discusses the various drawbacks of social media on education, by evaluating the increased distractions and its adverse effects on academic performance and education quality among students. This is done through assessing the various types of social media and their impacts and implications, a necessary step forward in understanding the multifaceted role of social media in modern-day education. This is a valuable study in weighing both the positive and negative impacts of a medium on the education system which is increasingly adopting and adapting to its presence. In essence, this study helps in identifying the issues and challenges that need to be resolved and the benefits which should be harnessed, so as to enable further facilitation and advancement of social media in education.

1.1 Benefits of Social Media in Education

The use of social media in education provides students with the ability to get more useful information, to connect with learning groups and other educational systems that will make their education convenient. Social network tools afford students and institutions with multiple opportunities to improve learning methods. Social media in education can not only enhance education but also help students to learn and connect with other students around the world. It can be part of an effective way to learn because students can learn from each other. Students can take in and understand the materials given to them by their teachers.

Social media is also an avenue that students can use to help them with their assignments, whether it's to get help from other students, or their professors, or to connect with people who can provide them with the information that they need to further understand the task at hand. Students can utilize social media by using tools and apps that will allow them to access and share educational content. This will help students to become more productive which will make them a great candidate for employed positions coming out of university, and also students will have a better understanding on how to utilize these social media tools in their professional career which will make them a more effective worker. Finally, social media is helpful to students to be able to contact peers or instructors on a homework assignment so the issue can be resolved at a convenient time for both parties. Without a doubt, social media has gone a long way to enhance human lives with it being an essential tool for our everyday learning.

1.2 Challenges of Social Media in Education

Cyberbullying is also one of the issues in using social networks. Students are often the targets because there's a tendency for older cyberbullies to target someone who is less able to stick up for themselves, so children with special needs and learning difficulties can often be targeted (Willard, 2007). They see that the students tend to do their activities online, so they assume that it is easier to play any pranks on them through the internet. Cyberbullying will give bad effects for students. It will cause them to become stressed, depressed, and it will eventually affect their academic learning. They will lose interest in going to school, and they will become antisocial people. In severe cases, students will experience decreased academic performance, and in some extreme cases, it will lead them to take their own life. For instance, there was one case in the United States where Megan Meier, thirteen years old, who has been diagnosed with depression and attention deficit disorder, committed suicide because of cyberbullying. She was told through online messages that the world would be a better place without her (Vossekuil, 2008). The person that caused her death was the mother of her former friend who created a fake account on MySpace and used that account to gain Megan's confidence as a means of learning the dynamics of her daughter's onetime friend turned enemy. Megan eventually hanged herself in her closet. This case received much attention, and it has led to MySpace revealing the identity of the person with whom the fake account associated with, though they cannot comment specifically on the case due to privacy concerns (Josh, 2009).

There are lots of issues in using social media in education. For instance, students who are using social networking are easily distracted. They will tend to focus on the social needs to build good relationships with others. This, in turn, will distract them from learning, and sometimes they will miss the chance to get a good grade by only focusing on social needs. Students will prioritize building networks and talking with friends, thus making them not have enough time to do the given task. According to Andriole, students tend to not organize their time efficiently when they access social networks and spend comparatively more time on activities not related to academic work. In his research, he found that out of 180 students observed, 30% spent more than 5 hours per week on social networking during a five-day college week, and half of those same students spent more time on social networking than any other activities related to college.

2. Social Media and Learning