ByLokenath_Education_2021
DEC 31, 2021
This write-up is contributed by Mr. Sugato Roy.
Importance of social media in education …
Access to the internet in India has opened up a plethora of new possibilities in the education world today. There is a positive growth of net users even in this period of a slump if one may say so. According to a study by the syndicated research group Statista, the number of social network users will grow by 755 million approximately in 2022. The five main social media platforms have shown double-digit growth in the last six years according to a study by National Education Study.
All these studies clearly illustrate the very encouraging growth trend of social media in our country in the years to come.
Social media has played and will play a very active and beneficial role in the current scenario. For the students as well as the institutions it is a lot easier to communicate with each other, organise online tutorials and classes, pass on useful pieces of information and syllabus notes, get access to digital libraries worldwide and stay connected with each other. The ongoing pandemic has amply proved all these points. Social media tools have immensely helped students not only in cities, towns and semi-urban areas but also in far-flung places as well. Since social media platforms and tools are high inter communicative, all concerned can interact with each other or in groups in more than multiple ways. Websites of various organisations offering suitable and lucrative jobs apart from career enhancement organisations are posting various opportunities every day which are highly beneficial for the students looking out for jobs or skill enhancement.
Let us have a glance as to how in all ways is social media beneficial for the education sector –
- A lot of data from various sources on a given subject can be obtained which are all credible and authentic. The students can also have a grasp of the latest methodologies. Besides a lot of syndicated research studies are regularly posted on the net which is beneficial for the students.
- Social media communications are extremely cost-effective with maximum and focussed reach. The operating costs are abysmally low compared to the other media tools. Students can go through the course contents of various courses by browsing through their websites and can gather detailed knowledge without taking the hassle of going to the various institutes physically. Even enrolment to various courses can also be formalised online.
- The 24×7 connectivity is also a very big affirmative point. Students can connect with their peer groups as well as their teachers and tutors irrespective of their physical or geographical boundaries. Even expert guidance can be sought from teachers based out of the home provinces of the respective students. To cap it all, even assignment writing helps and project work helps can be sought from expert personnel at nominal costs at the click of the mouse or the touch screen.
- Sharing all relevant information is one of the most important aspects of social media for education. Apart from the regular course contents, students can gain relevant knowledge from blogs, wikis, social bookmarking and media sharing spaces.
- Connectivity with learning groups along with advanced learning machinery systems and social media integration is also of utmost importance for the students as well as the teaching community.
- Very soon social media will become the primary channel of communication and there are good chances as it seems that it will overcome other traditional communication channels. Both the parents if they are working, might not have the time to go to the school to know about the institution. They can rely in such cases on social media platforms.
One can rightly deduce that the phrase – Vasudeva Kutumbakam — The world is one family is fully apt in the context of the relevance of social media today. However one may not like but the fact remains, social media is THE MEDIA for Gen Z.
Mr. Sugato Roy
GRADUATE FROM ST XAVIER’S COLLEGE AND POST GRADUATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA, SPECIALISING IN MARKETING MANAGEMENT AND ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE OF 24 YEARS IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES IN ADVERTISING AND PUBLISHING INDUSTRY. HAS BEEN AWARDED FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ADVERTISING AND PUBLICITY MANAGEMENT.