Social Media as a Learning Tool

Social media has quickly become an integral part of today’s society and a key method of communication for people in all parts of the globe. Millions of people use social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram not only to connect with friends, family, and others with similar interests, but also for educational purposes. When used carefully, social media, as I have experienced first-hand in IEOR 190G, can be a useful tool for learning and education.

Social media can be a very effective method of creating connections and a sense of community not only between students, but also between the teacher or professor and the class as a whole. In the case of 190G, social media has allowed me to see and understand the perspectives and thoughts of countless other students that may not have happened otherwise. Additionally, according to educational researchers, a teacher communicating with students in a more informal way than just through a traditional lecture format can help foster better class cohesion and has even been shown to increase achievement, attendance rates, and graduation rates.

Another positive aspect about social media from a general perspective is that social media not only brings current technology to the classroom learning environment but also helps bridge the digital divide for lower-income students. The technological interconnectedness of today’s society has required all students to be competent users of many forms of digital media and technology, and this includes social media. According to numerous educational researchers, social media integrated into the classroom helps those lower-income students gain access to a wealth of educational material and other people’s perspectives that they may not have access to otherwise.

In conclusion, when done correctly, social media can be a useful and effective tool for learning, as it can help broaden students’ perspectives and connect to others in a way not possible before. For me personally, using social media to write about my thoughts in IEOR 190G was a fun experience.