Incorporation of Social Media in Education - Research Proposal Example

Incorporation of Social Media in Education Name Class Professor Institution City and State Date Incorporation of Social Media in Education Introduction Given the fact that the present world embraces the abundance of technology, it becomes imperative for the teachers to make the use of innovative technology in education. It is believed that this technology can be utilized by the teachers and learners to facilitate communication between the two sets of individuals. At the same time, parents can have a chance to participate in the learning process of their children. Notably, one of these technology platforms that can support education is the use of social media. Social media is used by almost all the age groups to enhance communication among the individuals. The most common age group that make the use of social media in communication is the teenagers who are majorly schoolers (Tess, 2013, p. A62). Given that this age comprises of mostly schoolers, one can argue and propose a means through which social media platforms can be used in education. Despite the challenges that can be involved in making the use of social media, in this case, it can be pretty good for the digital generation to embrace this platform in education. Due to this, the means through which social media can be made resourceful in education should be in the minds of education policy makers since this is in the realm that people cannot underestimate. Research question Can social media be used to enhance learning in the current generation? Literature Review The benefits that are associated with the use of media are broad and need to be analyzed well. From the perspective of the students, social media helps to nurture the communication among them in which their skills are developed accordingly. They gain confidence once they engage in the use of social media platforms which nurtures their social interactions (Gikas, & Grant, 2013, p. 21). At the same time, learners become integrated with the new and emerging technology which supports that part of the world's revolution. Given the fact that a considerable number of students are using technology platforms not only in learning but to socialize, engaging this in learning might be substantial since this implies that they will have to spend more time in education over the sites than they used to do previously. Moreover, this kind of learning can be a bit diverse and detailed which offers learners a different approach to learning crucial to them. These are the basis from which students can effectively work on school projects since they absorb diversified ideas when they engage the use of such platforms. Such collaborative environment helps learners develop approaches to solving the typical problems. From the perspective of the teachers and schools, the use of social media can support the exchange of information and learning materials which is vital. At the same time, parents will find it to be integrated into the school activities since they have easy access to the media platforms connecting them to schools by the use of their mobile gadgets and computers. Due to this, it is easy to grow the partnership between the parents and schools since they actively participate in school events even by the use of social media (Moorhead et al., 2013, p. e85). The availability of educational discussion forums over the social media via which they can interact can be pretty imperative. On the other hand, teachers can use the advantages associated with flipping and adding materials to the sites which students are supposed to navigate to enhance the learning process. When in class, teachers will guide the learners on the use of these sites which will ease the teaching burden on the teachers. In fact, teachers will now be made to facilitate the learning process which appears a bit simpler for them compared to the conventional teaching means. In the current era, some schools have already allowed learning to take place by the use of social media. The method is still thriving and has allowed teachers to control the way in which learners use these sites so that they can maximize their benefits. They are concerned that the use of social media should be monitored among the learners to help reduce the risks that are associated with their usage. At the same time, the schools' social media account are being managed by experts to contribute to reducing unfamiliar issues with these sites (Duggan, & Brenner, 2013, p. 46) They are made in a way that can enhance students’ interaction which will help them comment and finish the given assignments. Such an attribute helps them to accomplish the school projects which is pretty imperative. Features available in these sites also allow the one-on-one interaction between the learners and teachers which shows care for the students. Given this, social media platforms are deemed to be working systems and are encouraged to be used widely by schools. However, when engaging the use of social media in education, students should be aware some aftermaths are associated with the irresponsible use of these sites. Teachers have to be wary of this and consider giving a solution to the problem since the current generation is bred in an environment with many evil-minded individuals who use social media for immoral activities. For instance, people post nude photos on these sites which are not wise for a community which works along the ethical lines (Popoiu, Grosseck, & Holotescu, 2012, p. 2264). It is the role of the teachers to evert this character, especially among the growing generation. Ideally, it is not possible to deny the youths the use of social media platforms, but they can be taught how to use them responsibly. With the current technological growth, it is impossible to stop social networking among the youths since they possess the necessary tools such as iPads, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. The only possible way to avoid this evil over the sites is introducing the concept to education in it. Methodology In this course of undertaking this research, the investigation had to be done that entailed four public schools each involving 15 students and three teachers. Questionnaires and interviews were used in this case to help accomplish the sought results. Details of the surveys and interviews were made to be the same to have an effect on the standard results that were being sought (Courtney, 2013, p.244). The only difference was the details given to the teachers and those offered to the learners. In this case, teachers had questions designed with different features to those of the students, and this was aimed at getting the feedback from both perspectives. Teachers were assumed to take the parenting role again, and this explains the reason that parents were not called for this investigation. One of the questions to the teachers was how they perceive the availability of the current technology resulting in the establishment of social media platforms and their responses were quite amazing. At the same time, they were asked to give their opinions regarding the integration of social media in education and give detailed information in this perspective. Many teachers considered both the positive and adverse effects on the use of social media in education, but at the end of the day, they gave pieces of information that were encouraging to this proposal. They proposed on the application of the Acceptable Use Policies to help guide on the proper use of these sites so that learners do not engage the use of them for unconstructive activities (DeAndrea et al., 2012, p. 22). These Acceptable Use Policies should act as their guiding tool and ought to be set up by the ministries of education in every nation as they proposed. On the perspective of the students, most of them actively participated in this interesting idea to them. Most of them said they had for long been waiting for the introduction of such a plan and encouraged the policy makers in the education system to approve it. Questions asked of them were used to shade light on how useful the incorporation of this platform can be of massive benefit to them (Antheunis, Tates, & Nieboer, 2013, p. 429). They were asked to tell how often they get into the social networking sites and their responses were varied. But overall, most students spend their time on these sites which imply the same can be used to influence education to the learners. Impact According to the revelations in this research, teachers can use social media to support the learning process for students. It can be used in various ways to support the learning process of students and help them embody the current technology in education. Some of these different ways through which social media can be used in education entail posting blogs and creating a social media page for a particular group of learners which could involve all the schoolers in a particular school. Moreover, posting assignments, video presentation for projects to the instructors among many more others are a part of this design (Cheston, Flickinger, & Chisolm, 2013, p. 895). If the right strategies are employed, this can help to boost educational teaching means and transform the online activities as well. In education, learners enjoy the use of the social media platforms given the fact that they are conversant with their interfaces. Indeed, those who will engage in project presentation by the use of videos will find it a bit of fun and enjoy their education course; it will allow them to get participative fully in the program and this will prevent the passive scenarios observed in the past. At the same time, people cannot ignore the growing influence of the social media and can only learn how to use it responsibly (Dabbagh, & Kitsantas, 2012, p.7). Given this, when students are encouraged to craft projects that make great use of social media, this will be a means through which teachers nurture their students on the responsible use of these sites. Almost all students have mobile phones or have access to the internet enabled devices which will allow the teachers to post assignments and at the same time interact with the learners one-on-one effectively. Now that this is the case, education can be readily available to the students. Similarly, the teachers' role has been made easy since they can now teach even when they are far from the place of work as they only need to connect to the internet and carry on the learning process. In fact, they only need to guide the learners on the best use of the materials, and this will have them done massively to the lives of the students. Conclusion To sum up, as seen in this paper, social media does not automatically go hand in hand with education, but something has to be done to effect this is schools. It is the role of the teachers and parents to step up and be the guiding paths in this generation to make sure that social media works in the classroom since this is highly possible. They have to remind the students all that they should do and what to avoid in due course. People cannot underestimate the contribution of social media in education and at the same time cannot watch over the misuse of this resource in the current societies. Given this, they should turn it into a constructive one, and this is only possible for education. Students should be advised of the consequences for the improper and proper uses of social media. Correspondingly, teachers need to be trained on the appropriate use of the social media so that they can help guide the young learners. Indeed, this cannot work efficiently without a broad backing from the school administration and collaboration with the higher administration in the education sector. Now that this is the case, policy makers in education have to consider this and advocate for its inclusion is schools to help transform the society. Reference List Antheunis, M.L., Tates, K. and Nieboer, T.E., 2013. Patients' and health professionals' use of social media in health care: Motives, barriers, and expectations. Patient Education and Counseling, 92(3), pp.426-431. Cheston, C.C., Flickinger, T.E. and Chisolm, M.S., 2013. Social media use in medical education: a systematic review. Academic Medicine, 88(6), pp.893-901. Courtney, K.L., 2013. The use of social media in healthcare: organizational, clinical, and patient perspectives. Enabling Health and Healthcare through ICT: Available, Tailored and Closer, 183, p.244. Dabbagh, N. and Kitsantas, A., 2012. Personal Learning Environments, social media, and self-regulated learning: A natural formula for connecting formal and informal learning. The Internet and higher education, 15(1), pp.3-8. DeAndrea, D.C., Ellison, N.B., LaRose, R., Steinfield, C. and Fiore, A., 2012. Serious social media: On the use of social media for improving students' adjustment to college. The Internet and higher education, 15(1), pp.15-23. Duggan, M. and Brenner, J., 2013. The demographics of social media users, 2012 (Vol. 14). Washington, DC: Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. Gikas, J. and Grant, M.M., 2013. Mobile computing devices in higher education: Student perspectives on learning with cellphones, smartphones & social media. The Internet and Higher Education, 19, pp.18-26. Moorhead, S.A., Hazlett, D.E., Harrison, L., Carroll, J.K., Irwin, A. and Hoving, C., 2013. A new dimension of health care: systematic review of the uses, benefits, and limitations of social media for health communication. Journal of medical Internet research, 15(4), p.e85. Popoiu, M.C., Grosseck, G. and Holotescu, C., 2012. What do we know about the use of social media in medical education? Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 46, pp.2262-2266. Tess, P.A., 2013. The role of social media in higher education classes (real and virtual)–A literature review. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(5), pp.A60-A68. Read More

In the current era, some schools have already allowed learning to take place by the use of social media. The method is still thriving and has allowed teachers to control the way in which learners use these sites so that they can maximize their benefits. They are concerned that the use of social media should be monitored among the learners to help reduce the risks that are associated with their usage. At the same time, the schools' social media account are being managed by experts to contribute to reducing unfamiliar issues with these sites (Duggan, & Brenner, 2013, p. 46) They are made in a way that can enhance students’ interaction which will help them comment and finish the given assignments.

Such an attribute helps them to accomplish the school projects which is pretty imperative. Features available in these sites also allow the one-on-one interaction between the learners and teachers which shows care for the students. Given this, social media platforms are deemed to be working systems and are encouraged to be used widely by schools. However, when engaging the use of social media in education, students should be aware some aftermaths are associated with the irresponsible use of these sites.

Teachers have to be wary of this and consider giving a solution to the problem since the current generation is bred in an environment with many evil-minded individuals who use social media for immoral activities. For instance, people post nude photos on these sites which are not wise for a community which works along the ethical lines (Popoiu, Grosseck, & Holotescu, 2012, p. 2264). It is the role of the teachers to evert this character, especially among the growing generation. Ideally, it is not possible to deny the youths the use of social media platforms, but they can be taught how to use them responsibly.

With the current technological growth, it is impossible to stop social networking among the youths since they possess the necessary tools such as iPads, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. The only possible way to avoid this evil over the sites is introducing the concept to education in it. Methodology In this course of undertaking this research, the investigation had to be done that entailed four public schools each involving 15 students and three teachers. Questionnaires and interviews were used in this case to help accomplish the sought results.

Details of the surveys and interviews were made to be the same to have an effect on the standard results that were being sought (Courtney, 2013, p.244). The only difference was the details given to the teachers and those offered to the learners. In this case, teachers had questions designed with different features to those of the students, and this was aimed at getting the feedback from both perspectives. Teachers were assumed to take the parenting role again, and this explains the reason that parents were not called for this investigation.

One of the questions to the teachers was how they perceive the availability of the current technology resulting in the establishment of social media platforms and their responses were quite amazing. At the same time, they were asked to give their opinions regarding the integration of social media in education and give detailed information in this perspective. Many teachers considered both the positive and adverse effects on the use of social media in education, but at the end of the day, they gave pieces of information that were encouraging to this proposal.

They proposed on the application of the Acceptable Use Policies to help guide on the proper use of these sites so that learners do not engage the use of them for unconstructive activities (DeAndrea et al., 2012, p. 22). These Acceptable Use Policies should act as their guiding tool and ought to be set up by the ministries of education in every nation as they proposed. On the perspective of the students, most of them actively participated in this interesting idea to them. Most of them said they had for long been waiting for the introduction of such a plan and encouraged the policy makers in the education system to approve it.

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