Social Media - Too Much?

Social media in the classroom serves as a virtual extension - a component through which students can access the peer-to-peer interaction available in a normal classroom. There is no doubt there are practical uses of this technology. However, my biggest problem with a complete and successful transition to a social media oriented focus is the unwanted merging of school and personal time.

I will admit, my grades have been saved due to social media countless of times. Casual conversations on AIM generally lead to the mention of due dates and tests, which prompts me to study. However, imagine every course you took as an undergraduate included a mandatory online aspect. I am taking six courses this semester. The amount of time spent in class alone takes up most of my daylight hours. With studying included, any time I get to just nap or relax is a very precious commodity. If each of those classes required my contribution to a online classroom (regardless how little), I would very quickly learn to hate all of my classes. On the whole, the present avenues of online communication that are implemented such as D2L and e-mail are practical and efficient. Anything more than that, unless it completely replaces the physical classroom time, I would consider extraneous. Perhaps my experience with this class will change my opinion.