The Impact of Social Media on Instruction in Higher Education

Abstract

The technological revolution of the past two decades has changed communication in contemporary educational settings. Consequently, there is now a wide gulf between the unlimited use of technology and higher education, particularly with respect to digital communications between professors and students. Technology offers college students an array of options to socialize, network, stay informed and connected, but with risks and consequences. As social media use by students becomes more established, educators in higher education are pursuing methods to continue significant and appropriate contact with their audience. Web 2.0 digital technologies convey information and permit interaction with distance participants. Personal use of digital technologies for social media communication is one thing; social media use by professors for communication with students is another. Can social media be used in higher education to improve learning through student and faculty collaboration and are there less than desirable results in the interaction of social media and higher education?

Instruction Using Social Media in Global Higher Education

“…Professors should help to educate users of technology that there is an abundance of materials available on the web, but few guarantees of the quality of the materials (Dee, 2016;Feigenbaum & Iquani, 2015). So, if students search the Internet for information, they should understand the lack of quality controls for materials found on the Internet (Lemoine & Richardson, 2013).…”

“…Cyberlearning has become a trend that includes both independent learning and learning in collaboration with others (Greenhow, 2011;Lemoine & Richardson, 2013). This flexibility is dependent on learning needs, motivations and contexts where students can use mobile devices for personalized learning anytime and anywhere (Balakrishnan & Gan, 2016).…”

Global Higher Education: Development and Implications

“…Preparing technically educated and skilled individuals is of great economic importance to the United States and other countries and requires significant attention from educators and employers. Education is the one area that influences an individual from early childhood through adult life (Lemoine & Richardson, 2013). Higher education institutions around the world provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to function in society (LeBlanc, 2012).…”

The Use of Social Media as an Instructional Tool to Increase Marketing

“…Today higher education professors facilitate the acquisition of knowledge through Web 2.0 technologies which necessitates a paradigm shift --teaching students how to think (Greenhow, 2011). Instead of imparting knowledge the focus is on teaching students to understand where and how to find knowledge (Hoffman & Novak, 2011;Kezar, 2014;Lemoine & Richardson, 2013;Records, Pritchard & Behling,k 2011). Students must be able to find the information they need, analyze it appropriately, not just to regurgitate facts (Junco, 2014;Lane, Kehr & Richardson, 2010).…”