7 Benefits Of Using Social Media As A Learning Tool

Social media channels are used by adults and kids for entertainment. You can talk to your friends using various applications. Many parents also limit social media usage to prevent their kids from becoming addicted to their phones.

However, social media is not as negative as people make it out to be.

Whenever your child picks up their phone does not mean they are playing games on it or talking to their friends. Instead, many kids use social media as a learning tool to become better students.

You're in the right place if you want to know how social media benefits a student's learning process. Here is everything you need to know about the advantages of using social media as a learning tool.

1. Allows Students To Communicate Better

The best part about social media is that it allows you to connect with various people easily. Students can easily contact their teachers outside of school hours to get extra help. Many tutors are also supportive and reply to the messages on time to create a better learning environment.

Social media also makes collaboration easier for those students who tend to avoid asking questions in class. This may be because of the fear of other students, confidence issues, and much more. However, the same student may feel less fearful of asking a question privately on WhatsApp or by email.

Of course, social media is not just used for taking help from teachers. Students can also contact one another or form a virtual study group to complete their homework easily. Video calls also make it easier to understand topics from a tutor or another student.

Teachers can also schedule Zoom lessons for extra classes to help the students learn better. In addition, social media improves the communication skills of the kids and help them become more confident about seeking help from a teacher.

2. Social Media Makes It Easier To Share Documents

Another benefit of social media as a learning tool is that it makes it easier to share documents. Teachers can give access to studying material such as e-notes, PowerPoint presentations used for the lecture, and much more. So students will not have to search for other places to cover their syllabus.

The primary benefit of receiving educational PowerPoint presentations that the teacher uses in class is that it allows people to make notes at home. So a student can focus better in the lecture hall instead of juggling between noting down points from the presentation and listening to the professor.

Google Drive is the primary application most teachers use to upload class presentations and notes to help students. Other applications, such as Dropbox, also make it easier for students to access studying material.

Besides that, old video lectures can also be uploaded on Google Drive for e-learning. After all, COVID-19 has affected many institutes significantly. This is why social media has become essential for sharing large files more easily.

3. Encourages Parental Involvement

Many students share their daily progress with their parents to make them proud. However, some students also avoid talking about school with their parents because of low grades, fear of getting scolded, and much more. Of course, you may want to know about your kid's progress to support their education better.

Luckily, social media can help you become more involved in your child’s education. You can take a teacher’s number from the school and contact the tutor to learn more about your kid’s behavior and grades in the class. Many institutes also set up a WhatsApp group chat for parents.

So you can easily connect with teachers to learn whether your child is passing or failing the class. Besides that, you can also follow the social media networks of the institute to learn about different events, parent-teacher meetings, and much more.

Parents can also get updates through email about different projects and attendance. Some schools also have a digital portal where a student's attendance is updated. As a parent, you can access that channel to learn whether your kid is attending the institute or skipping classes.

4. Supports A Student’s Learning Process

Many people think that social media has only memes and jokes that distract students from their studies. However, that is not completely true. Social media is also a bustling place with informational websites that supports a student’s learning process in various ways.

For instance, YouTube can be used to find lectures on a topic that a student failed to understand in class. The best part is that these resources are available for kids at different education levels. Primary school students can use YouTube for easy lessons.

Meanwhile, websites such as Osmosis and Kenhub are making it easier for medical students to prepare for tests and exams. Many teachers also have channels on YouTube to help business and engineering students. This is why social media can improve a student's grades easily if used properly.

Online books can also be downloaded through social media channels to avoid buying expensive textbooks. This is a huge benefit for many students, especially those who cannot afford to buy books. Accessibility to practice tests and past papers is also easier because of social media.

5. Helps With Employment Opportunities

Social media is also helpful for students at a higher level in their education. This is because many platforms offer opportunities for gaining online certifications. So getting a job with such certifications may be easier for many people.

Many schools also offer online extra-curricular activities to help students participate in different activities without staying in school late. For instance, virtual book clubs allow students to enhance their reading and writing skills. These activities are helpful for getting admission to a new institute.

Besides that, online extra-curricular activities can also make it easier to land internships. This is because students can write about different experiences in their resumes to show their skills. Because of this, social media is used to gain employment easily after completing education.

Remember that social media also help students gain skills that may be required for their future career field. For instance, it can allow students to become good at using tech. Digital art apps can also be used to improve art skills to pursue a career as a graphic designer.

6. Social Media Aids Visual Learning

Some lessons may be difficult to understand in class because of a lack of imagination. Books may also not be most helpful because of huge paragraphs with difficult text. That is where social media can be useful to students. The different channels can aid visual learning through animations.

Many YouTube channels and websites offer animations of different diagrams to help students have better concepts. The best part is that some people also post 3D video animations. These can be used to understand a difficult pathway when learning subjects such as biology.

Besides that, many people on Instagram also make visually pleasing notes for selling. The best part is that such notes allow the student to save time because they will not find the need to make their own notes. Visual learning is effective because it prevents students from making false assumptions.

Students can also retain the learning material better by relating explanations with pictures and animations. So acing tests and getting good grades in exams become easier.

7. Social Media Helps With Completion Of Assignments

Completing assignments and finishing projects is easier for students because of social media. Many websites can offer information to complete a thesis paper. Social media is also helpful for getting feedback for research projects in medical school.

TikTok is one of the latest apps that help with completing school assignments. Searching for a specific keyword can help students see videos teaching techniques to solve a difficult math problem. Students may also find hacks to use an app effectively for completing a project.

Instagram and Facebook are also helpful for watching short lecture clips to understand a topic better before starting the assignment. The best part is that students can also connect with different academic counselors through social media.

Informational websites are also used by students to find ways to focus better on their work. Reminder apps are also useful for remembering deadlines and finishing the task on time to avoid getting an F grade. That is why social media is a beneficial learning tool for students.

The Best Social Media Learning Tools

Here are the top online learning tools that allow students to improve their skills and concepts:

1. YouTube

YouTube is a leading platform for students because of its easy accessibility. Students can watch lectures for free by reputed teachers from different parts of the world. The best part is that it also allows students to create their own educational channels.

Many students who excel in a specific subject upload lecture videos to enhance their concepts while making money through YouTube to support their education.

Students can also use informational videos to improve their study habits, writing skills, tech skills, and much more.

2. Math 42

Math 42 is an excellent platform that allows students to improve their math skills. The app can be used by middle school, high school, and college students to solve math problems. The platform provides a step-by-step solution for specific questions.

The best part about the steps is that they will also explain the reason behind the step. This allows students to understand concepts better and improve their problem-solving skills.

Math 42 is also helpful when a student gets stuck on a question and cannot seek help from a teacher because of school closure and other reasons.

3. Duolingo

Duolingo is another social media app that allows people to learn different languages. The platform offers pronunciations and meanings of different foreign phrases. It also has various tests to help the student understand their progress.

The best part about Duolingo is that it supports the learning of those students who are learning a new language at their school or college. For instance, your kid may have taken French or Latin as an extra subject at school.

So Duolingo can help your kid understand the basic terms that are often used in tests. The best part is that the app is free to download on mobile phones and tablets.

4. Pinterest

Pinterest is one of the social media apps that students from all over use. The platform has a board with quotes that can motivate a person to study. Those students who find it hard to focus on their education can use the platform to get a motivation boost.

Many pins are also posted with educational advice to improve reading, writing, and researching skills. Students can save these posts and take points from them to improve themselves. Tips for using technology and news updates are also available on Pinterest for those pursuing a specific degree.

The best part is that Pinterest is helpful for students and graduates too. The latter individuals can use the platform for job statistics, news about different career fields, and much more.

5. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is an excellent resource for students and graduates because of its versatility. The platform offer access to blog articles that people can use to improve their skills. Many official groups are also present on the platform to engage with different people from the community.

The best part about LinkedIn is that it can help students network before their graduation. The primary benefit of early networking is that when the students graduate, they can use the connections to land jobs and internships easily.

This is why LinkedIn is an excellent learning tool for students. It is also a great platform for graduates to find career opportunities.

Final Words

This is everything you need to know about the benefits of social media as a learning tool. Many websites and apps can be used for communicating with teachers. Students can also improve their concepts through free and paid educational apps.

The best part about many social media channels is that they offer reliable information for free. These networks also provide alternative resources to make concepts better without much effort.