5 Benefits of Social Media to students

In this article put together by Lofty Scholars, I’ll be discussing the Benefits of Social media to students and how it helps with learning and teaching. I’ll also cover various types of social media. But before we dive into those details, let’s quickly go over the information below to understand what social media actually means.

What is Social Media?

According to the dictionary Oxford, Social Media means websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.

Simply put, social media is a kind of computer tool that helps people share their thoughts and information with others over the internet. It’s like a virtual meeting place where you can post things like pictures, videos, and messages. You can use a computer, tablet, or smartphone to use social media through special websites or apps.

Types of Social Media;

Social Networks

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

Media Sharing Networks

• Instagram
• YouTube
• Snapchat
• Tiktok

Media Sharing Networks

• Reddit
• Quora
• Digg

Bookmarking & Content Curation Networks:

• Pinterest
• Flipboard

Consumer Review Networks:

• Yelp
• Zomato
• TripAdvisor

Blogging & Publishing Networks:

• WordPress
• Tumblr
• Medium

Benefits of Social Media to students

1. Using social media can actually make studying and staying organized easier

Social media could be useful for staying organized when you’re studying. While many students use traditional tools like planners or phones to plan their study time, these methods have drawbacks. For instance, you can ignore alarms or lose your planner. But an article titled “How Social Media can Help Students Study” suggests that students who already use social media can use it to share study materials on platforms like Dropbox or Google Drive.

Usually, people see social media as a way to take breaks from studying. But what if it could actually help students concentrate while studying?

2. Studying together with others is the most effective way to learn:

Many students believe that studying together with others is the best way to learn. One common way to do this is by getting together with friends before a big exam. However, a Communication team in an article titled “How Social Media can Help Students Study” suggests some useful ideas. They propose creating group hashtags or inviting professors to join a group chat. This way, if there are any mistakes while studying, someone in the chat might notice and fix them.

In an article by Henry Marshall called “How Social Networking Sites Can Help Students to Study for a Test,” he proposes that using social media for class discussions can help students and even teachers talk about the lessons. Students can use platforms like Twitter or Facebook to talk about what they learned in class, ask questions, and help each other. This doesn’t just improve how well they do in school, but also makes the learning environment more inclusive for everyone.

3. The way social media websites are set up can make learning more interesting for students.

Using the style of social media can be a more interesting way for students to learn, especially for younger ones. Reading physical books or just talking in class about what they’ve learned can get boring. According to an article by Wainwright titled “7 Fun Ways to Use Technology in the Classroom to Enrich Learning,” students are already interested in social media outside of school, so using it in class can immediately grab their attention.

Moreover, it’s an easy way for them to share stuff and support each other. When teachers use this method, they can break the usual routine and make learning more fun for students. Ultimately, we know that the students who pay the most attention are the ones who do the best.

4. Social media can be a source of inspiration for both teachers and students:

Social media can provide inspiration for both teachers and students. Sometimes teachers worry that they have to stick to the same lessons each year because they think there’s no new way to teach what the school requires. But that’s not true. Social media, like Pinterest, can turn a dull lesson plan into an exciting and interactive one.

In an article called “Back-to-School with Pinterest,” Beth Rheingold explains how she made a board called “Educational Resources” and used keywords like “classroom management” and “classroom organization” to find new and creative ideas. She even found a solution for sharing class materials with absent students through Pinterest.

Pinterest isn’t the only social media site that can boost creativity and organization in class. Twitter can also be used to share links with classmates and find new ideas for inspiration.

5. Social media platforms can enhance students’ communication skills:

Social media platforms can be helpful for students to get better at communicating. However, some English teachers in today’s education system wrongly think that only formal writing is the right way to communicate. This mistaken idea can be harmful to students, especially because social media and other technologies are so common for communication.

An article by Alrubail titled “Social Media and Students’ Communication Skills” talks about how teachers should respect and encourage students’ voices in the classroom, no matter how they choose to communicate. When teachers stress the importance of being responsible online, students are more likely to behave well.

English teachers should understand that all kinds of writing, including texting, tweeting, and blogging, are all forms of “real” writing. By promoting this idea, teachers can really help students improve their communication skills.