In the last two decades, social media seems to have influenced the way in which education is delivered in academic institutions and beyond classroom walls. In fact, students are greatly immersed in these technologies and use them to enhance their learning in different subjects. Given this fact, many educators have started questioning whether the new digital tools could be an alternative to formal education. Our objective in this paper is, therefore, to investigate the usefulness as well as the impact of these online tools on classroom-based learning/teaching. In this context, based on studies we conducted among higher education students and teachers, it was found out that the majority of the informants claimed that social media improve students’ learning and enhance teaching methodologies. Despite these educational advantages, only 19% of the surveyed students and 31.1% of the faculty members believe that these online platforms could replace formal education. Given the benefits of these web-based applications and their wide use amongst students, we strongly believe that teachers who are reluctant in effectively incorporating social media in education settings will be left behind sooner or later.

Could Social Media Replace Formal Education? PDF

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