The digital world has revolutionized the way of life of society. And has also changed the planning and interaction of the educational field. Nowadays, it is evident that social networks in education are a fundamental tool to promote a new learning model among students, whose main means of communication is the internet.
In this sense, various specialists in the area, such as, for example, graduates in the Higher Degree in Early Childhood Education, assure that the use of ICT in education can help streamline the teaching processes by teachers. However, other professionals are skeptical of this digital transformation applied by educational social networks in the classroom.
Are social networks educational?
In recent decades, social networks have reached children and young people by providing information that was previously restricted. In fact, before the only way to learn was to read a topic until it was memorized. But this has changed with the evolution of the use of ICT in education since the use of these platforms can be beneficial in the classroom.
In this sense, some pedagogues affirm that social networks in education can promote dialogue and participation. In addition, they ensure that educational social networks appear as a new way of understanding learning at different ages. For this reason, it is important that schools know them. And uses them in a way that students can benefit from them for their training. As well as for their personal development.
In contrast, there are also many professionals who think that educational social networks are a tool used that can cause addiction among adolescents and children. In fact, some teachers refuse to introduce them into their teaching system for various reasons: little training in this totally new field and the lack of technological means in the classroom.
Benefits of social media in the classroom
In the educational field, it is important to detail the positive aspects that social networks can have in the classroom. One of the specialists who should know these advantages is the one with a degree in Distance Learning in Early Childhood Education. The use of ICT in education can facilitate the work of teachers and the learning process of students.
Among the benefits of the use of social networks in education, the following can be highlighted:
- Educational social networks allow teachers to teach students to learn by themselves, acting only as a guide in learning. Platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook can become educational tools. But the problem usually lies in the misuse of these in the classroom.
- The use of ICT in education can help students to develop the digital. And technological skills necessary to carry out different educational projects.
- Social networks in education provide adolescents with security to interact with teachers since they are usually more familiar with the platforms. In addition, these tools can also be used to contact experts from other subjects or students from other centers.
- The use of social media in the classroom fosters the value of sharing and collaboration. In this way, the teacher will be able to transmit informative knowledge through these platforms. As well as favor cooperation between a group of students.
- Educational social networks help students to become aware of the importance of socializing or working as a team. Similarly, the use of these platforms, in a controlled way, will encourage learning through different dynamics.
- With the introduction of social networks in the classroom, the search for information will no longer be a boring task. Allowing students to enter the different platforms to investigate and have the necessary resources to complete daily activities.
Main educational online platforms
Currently, there are several online educational platforms where teachers and students can participate with the aim that both parties enrich themselves in knowledge and promote collaborative learning using activities that allow self-evaluation or meditation on the work carried out.
One of the educational social networks that stand out is Leoteca, a platform aimed at the children’s community where students, in addition to reading, can share experiences with the teachers. Another interesting educational platform is Cliplit, free of charge. And developed by the Rey Juan Carlos University, which focuses on putting new role methodologies into practice through project work.
In short, thanks to social networks in education, teachers can disseminate different educational resources, ideas, and even materials among themselves. There is no doubt that these platforms can facilitate the task of teaching and are becoming a resource that increases the development of communication skills. It is also important to teach students to make proper use of these. So that they include them as part of their academic activities.
