Social Networks and Education

The past decade has seen an explosion of use of internet in society. Social media networks such as facebook, twitter, myspace, etc. have redefined social norms and have begun to prove their use in educational systems as well.

I will freely admit that this is the first time the internet, more specifically online media networks, has been incoporated so much into my scholastic life. This excites me because I see social media as having tremendous potential. There is nothing like the internet that can connect millions of people from across the globe on to one venue such as a blog. Relatives and friends can communicate instantly at the touch of a button, a feat impossible not too long ago. Social media has revolutionized the way in which communication and information is being circulated.

But are there potential repurcussions in both the educational and social settings? The lightning-fast speed at which people can retrieve information and instant communal connectedness add convenience to our increasingly regimented and grueling lives. One can hardly doubt that we live in the age of the "now" and the immediate, but can social media and internet ever be considered feasible alternatives to the classroom? Facebook has powerful potential in its ability to inform, but should social media networks be reserved for purely social uses? I believe the answer to that is an emphatic NO! Social media adds tremendous advantages in the academic settings. Class blogs, such as this one, create oppurtunities for students to learn and share what they have learned. Social media helps to keep posted on assignments, tests, and quizzes. Information can be linked instantly, giving peers access to vast amounts of information.

In a time of increasing internet usage and dependence, social networking's importance in our society will only increase. Education would do right to take advantage of such a tremendous tool and implement it into classroom curriculum. Perhaps social networking will revamp the way teachers and students communicate and influence the way education is conducted in the future???