It has always been in the best interest among men or more so the enthusiastic people to be able to interact with the people of the entire world no matter to which corner of the world do they belong to. This is where the picture of the Social Media comes to view. The very Social Media serves exactly the same purpose of connecting the world without any sophistication in terms of the end users. It goes without saying that Social Media has gained tremendous respect and usability in this particular decade. Therefore the Social media is gaining respectability as more formal institutions see beyond its more frivolous aspects to the bigger implications of its use. Facebook alone boasts more than 1 billion regular users, and that’s just one platform. The business world was the first sector to jump on board and see the potential of social media for marketing and tracking consumer trends. Now institutes of higher learning are incorporating social media into their communications and marketing degree programs. It would be quite ideal to say that in this modern technological era social media has nearly captured the world through its unique features.
Social media is one of the fastest-growing trends in higher education. What works for the average citizen using social media – the chance to interact with others, regardless of geography, as well as the opportunity to share ideas and interests – are the same mechanisms that are now being used to help educational institutions reach a wider range of students and engage them in ways that were previously impossible. Educators see the biggest use of social media in the classroom as filling three needs:
1. Seamless collaboration
2. A more “human” virtual classroom experience
3. Personalization of the learning experience
Social media as an educational tool meets these needs by removing technological barriers from the process and allowing real-time communications between individuals and between faculty and students that accelerates the collaboration process and increases efficiency. It also allows for greater personal interaction across a wider range of platforms. With greater mobility and increased technological savvy, students and educators are no longer limited by static medium in their communications or in their choices of learning and educational tools.
Social media allows the students to have more control over their very educational resources, meaning they no longer have to rely solely on the materials provided by their university or other educational institution. These benefits are not only for students. Educators, business professionals and employers are also able to capitalize on the experience to widen their personal and professional networks and enhance their existing skills.
UF’s masters in social media is the best example of how some universities are taking the very future of the social media seriously by introducing it into their marketing and communications degree curriculum. Though it has taken several years for social media to gain credibility outside of the realm of frivolous social interaction, businesses and colleges have seen the future implications and are finding new ways to implement this vital resource.
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