Social Media vs. Education: The Top 6 Perks to Keep in Mind

Today, the number of active social media users has already crossed the point of 4.4 billion and keeps growing at a rapid pace. In the 21st century, we got so used to social media that we can’t imagine our lives without it anymore. And, there is one group of users for whom channels like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and others play a particularly significant role – these people are students.

For students all across the globe, social media has become a vital part of their social lives. They use various channels every day and don’t seem to stop there.

But, what if social media could also become a vital part of their academic life? Can we really benefit from integrating social media into the existing education system?

In this article, we have collected the top six most significant benefits such channels can have in terms of education. Let’s dive in!

1. Improved Creative Skills

Breaking your daily routine with bright videos and images, social media has been proven to affect one’s creativity.

But, how does this relate to education? That’s simple. Creativity, though is often underestimated, is a much-needed skill for reaching academic success. While at school or college, students face a huge number of creative assignments such as essays, presentations, projects, and more. And, while they, of course, can always get help from a reliable paper writing service, it will never hurt to expand one’s creative potential.

So, the first benefit of social media for education is enhanced creativity.

1. Encouraged Online Learning

We all talk a lot about the opportunities and benefits of online learning, but what we don’t recognize is that young generations are already using this chance. Though social media has turned into a primarily entertaining thing, many users also use it for learning new things.

News channels, educational videos, interesting facts presented in an engaging and creative form, study groups – all these things and much more are available on social media. And students do find it much more exciting than studying traditionally. Thus, the second benefit of social media for education is the possibility to learn online.

1. Enhanced Writing Skills

Getting back to coping with various academic assignments, social media can also help students boost their writing skills.

How? Though it is nothing like writing an essay or dissertation, using social media actively still requires doing quite a lot of writing. Users create texts for their publications, leave comments, and chat with each other, which eventually helps them develop their writing skills, just as samples from an admission essay writing service help them write better admission essays.

1. Instant Access to Any Information

Though we all know that the largest part of the web (and, respectively, social media) is fake, there is still plenty of reliable information out there, and social media provides us with instant access to it.

The next big advantage of using social media for learning is the possibility to find and access any information at any time and from wherever you are. The resources available on social media can provide learners with a wealth of information. But, it is still worth noting that all the data should be carefully assessed.

1. More Space for Teamwork

It is impossible to avoid talking about communication here since that’s exactly what social media was designed for in the first place. But, while we most often think of it as pointless chit-chat, it can actually have a practical use in terms of education.

Social media provides students with the unique possibility to stay in touch literally 24/7 for their mutual projects. This fact really promotes teamwork, which is extremely important in education.

What is more, there are also plenty of examples of effective communication between teachers and students on social media. In this case, it doesn’t only provide space for collaboration but also enables students to get instant feedback from their instructors. So, this is one more advantage of such channels for learners.

1. Improved Tech Skills

Finally, the last but not least important advantage of using social media in education is the improved tech skills students get from using it regularly.

Though young people are technology natives on their own, continuing to use social media, students stay on the edge of innovation. It helps them feel comfortable with modern technologies. As a result, it will really help them not only in their future education but also in their future jobs.

The Bottom Line

So, now you know about some of the most significant perks of social media in terms of education. But, are there any significant drawbacks?

Of course, just like everything else in our world, it has two sides. Apart from a wide range of benefits, social media in education also has its cons. Namely, the biggest ones include:

• Distraction – First of all, yes, it can be distracting. Spending too much time on social media, students often tend to put their academic duties aside.
• Health issues – It has been proven that excessive use of social media can have a negative impact on both physical and mental health, which is why it has to be used moderately.
• Research and learning capability – Being very active users of such channels, students often become too dependent on them, which reduces their learning and research capability.

Nevertheless, even despite these cons, social media doesn’t get any less effective in terms of learning. It just has to be used right. And, if we can learn to utilize it effectively, it can start a new era in education and significantly boost the learning outcomes among students.