SOCIAL MEDIA IN ONLINE CLASSROOMS

 Social Media in Online Classrooms

                                                            Ipatia K. Apostolides

 

    Technology, the principle driving force in online classrooms, has been aided by Learning Management System tools.  However, more and more teachers have been turning to social media in providing a social exchange of knowledge and ideas for their students.  Facebook is one of several social media platforms that are being used in this capacity.  It is easily accessible through computer and cell phone, easy to use, and allows for private group sessions.  One study by Thailure & Penman (2015), used Facebook as a platform for group learning activity, and it showed that Facebook increased students’ interest in the subject, and provided opportunities to interact with lecturer and other students (p. 459).  However, Facebook could not substitute for face-to-face learning and teaching, yet was used as an additional tool for lectures and tutorials (p.459).  In addition, Facebook offers a psychosocial aspect that promotes a supportive environment for cognitive learning in students; this is observed in developing harmony and social cohesiveness, and group cohesiveness (p. 462).

Another social media tool, WhatsApp, has exposed students to new literacies where they shorten words, remove punctuation and capitals, and use abbreviations (Sonxaba & Sincuba, 2019).  David(2001), Cal(2001), and Dovey (2010), state that “..writing is an important tool in education and in the working environment, hence it is important that it is not polluted by social media scripts such as WatsApp (as cited in Songxaba & Sincuba, 2019, p.2).  This poses a problem in school, particularly in essay writing, and eventually in job situations.  Thus, depending on which social media is used and in what context, each teacher should assess them individually in elearning.

References

Songxaba, S.L., & Sincuba, L. (2019). The effect of social media on English second language essay writing with special reference to WhatsApp. Reading & Writing – Journal of the Reading Association of South Africa, 10(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.4102/rw.v10i1.179

 

Thailuri, J., & Penman, J. (2015). Social media for learning and teaching undergraduate sciences: Good practice guidelines from intervention. The Electronic Journal of e-learning, 13(6), 455-465. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/rw.v10i1.179