Fenella Olynick: Learning Reflection 1.1A

Why Should We Use Social Media in Education?

In the above 2 minute video of Prof. R.H. (Bob) Fryer (2013) from the UK's "Future Classroom Lab Interview Series 4" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utq-uoPq8hQ, Fryer makes some important points about the advantages of social media, and how educators can help to integrate social media into education.

Fryer (2013) feels social media’s “loss of formality is a huge advantage” (1.16/2.09 min.). He comments that people’s lives are broadened through the networks and connections that can be created; thus, he feels social media can add to E-learning. Fryer (2013) states, “too much E-learning is poor” (1.23/2.09 min.). He feels that social media is important because it allows for inventiveness, and the sharing and creating of new ideas by the participants. He also comments that social media develops new ways of communicating, while allowing for learning to start from any point (i.e., where the learners’ interests lie, and where the learners are at) (Fryer, 2013). This is supported by Tarte (2013), a director of teaching and learning with a large Twitter following, who states, “social media will help you meet your students, their parents, and your community where they already are” (para. 6). With the increasingly diverse needs of today’s 21st Century learners, I feel Fryer’s points exemplify why social media could be a powerful resource, if available, for educators and their students. This seems to be supported by contributions to discussion forums in a variety of social media communities, but I wonder if this support is just limited to those who use social media.

Fryer suggests getting policy and decision makers onside with the use of social media for learning by letting them experience it directly. He states, “let them see it happening…let them experience the joy, the creativity that young people show when they’re involved”(Fryer, 2013, 1.46/2.09 min.). From my experience, to date, I agree with Fryer’s points. Having tried to explain the advantages of social media with little success, yet having personally experienced the huge advantages of learning via social media, I feel that perhaps one needs to learn directly of the benefits before one can truly appreciate the advantages.

 

References


Fryer, B. (2013). Future classroom lab interview series 4 [Video]. Retrieved September 4, 2015, from https://youtu.be/Utq-uoPq8hQ 

Tarte. J. (2013). 10 reasons we need social media in education. Retrieved September 5, 2015, from 
          http://www.justintarte.com/2013/07/10-reasons-we-need-social-media-in.html