Role of social media in uplifting the Education Industry

Education industry in India is emerging as a result of constant support from media. Education and Media are integral part of learning process. Media has the potential to shape personalities and change the way we perceive and understand the world. Media has various sources of communication that they use to provide and promote education. Some old channels of communication like Radio, Televisions, newspapers, magazines, journals, etc were effective medium to provide education and awareness.

But, in the 21^st century Social media has been the game changer phenomenon within communication. Today people and organisations remain connected and updated through various forms of social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Blogs, & websites.

In a survey by Babson research group and Pearson, 4,000 teaching faculty from all disciplines in higher education, representing U.S. higher education professors, examined both, the personal and professional impacts of social media.

According to the report findings :

64.4 percent of faculty use social media for their personal lives, 33.8 percent use it for teaching.

41 percent for those under age 35 compared to 30 percent for those over age 55 reported using social media in their teaching.

Faculty in the Humanities and Arts, Professions and Applied Sciences, and the Social Sciences use social media at higher rates than those in Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science.

Blogs and wikis are preferred for teaching, while Facebook or LinkedIn are used more for social and professional connections.

88 percent of faculty, regardless of discipline, reported using online video in the classroom.

Social Media influence on education

Connectivity: Social media networks have wide reach of connectivity with the whole world that is used for providing knowledge and communication. Students use these platforms as an opportunity to connect among themselves and sharing relevant information. Having an online presence helps strengthen connectivity without any limitations on proximity.

Coverage: It is a great way to reach out to potential students and professionals. It gives a chance to network with different industry experts and faculty of different institutions, social media can provide a better industrial exposure.

Sharing of Knowledge: It helps in constant sharing of information and providing a platform to discuss problems with experts for anyone who is in need. Online teachings are available in the form of videos, audios for students to study at home with ease.

Parental Satisfaction: Parents can easily access and view institute’s curriculum, understand class and teachers better to select the best available institute for their children. This helps them get clarity about educational institute.

Competitive Advantage: According to IMAI (Internet and Mobile association of India), 65% of the population go online to search educational content. Thus, institutes that are available on social media have a chance to promote their facilities and courses available at extended level. Those institutes which are visible on social media have competitive advantage over others.

People today are intimately involved with social media at every stage.Social media is important for students to share information and gain knowledge. Social media also plays a crucial role for educational institutes to promote themselves at international level and attract students. After considering these facts, it clearly states that social media plays a crucial part in spreading awareness about importance of education and growth of education sector.