Social Learning Platform: The Next Big Thing in the Education Sector

The face of the education sector has evolved around the years where the traditional learning approach has certainly taken a backseat. With the rise in the digital age, the educational sector is encouraging the use of online technologies to enhance the learning experience of the students. 

Needless to say, the worldwide covid-19 pandemic has given a boost to e-Learning where we can see the majority of the educational institutions making use of a social learning platform for their students. Before we go further let’s first understand the meaning of this platform. 

What is a Social Learning platform?

A social learning platform simply put is a platform where students can connect and collaborate with their peers and teachers. It is where students can study together with their friends, teachers and carry out their day to day education in a smooth manner. This platform provides all the functionalities in a single place like enrolling for courses, connecting with peers and teachers, access to study materials, etc. 

This platform gives a totally new and interactive learning experience to students where they can take the authority to complete their daily studies in an efficient manner. Social learning enhances concentration and engages them in their overall learning process. 

As correctly said by Aristotle (Greek philosopher), “Man is a Social animal”

Many studies have also suggested that humans tend to learn better when they learn in a group as they can study each other’s learning patterns and can improvise and adapt accordingly. 

Similarly, a social learning platform is playing an important role in the education sector. As we know during the pandemic, all the educational institutions were shut down. However, with the help of online learning, schools and colleges were able to resume their study routine. This platform has helped teachers and students to connect with each other and carry out their online sessions without any hassle in this lockdown period. 

With the rise in online learning and teaching, the new education policy 2020 has focused on integrating the use of Edtech in schools and colleges so that students can make the most of their education. 

What is the Contribution of Social Learning platform In Education?

We have seen the meaning and the use of this platform above. However, let us now focus on the contribution of this platform in the education sector.

1. Study Anytime and Anywhere 

Almost all the educational networks will allow students to take advantage of their services anytime and anywhere. Students just need to possess an active and stable internet connection and a laptop or mobile device to stream their online classes on these platforms. 

It gives students the complete freedom to attend their online studies regardless of any time and location boundaries. However, this is not possible in a traditional approach as students have to attend their classes at a particular time and place. These platforms provide an edge to them thereby making the most of their learning. 

2. Connect with teachers & Peers 

As we said above, these platforms let students connect with their teachers and peers and carry out their daily study routine in a timely and effective manner. Now students don’t have to be worried about finding the best teachers for teaching. There are many skilled teachers who provide quality education to the students via these platforms. 

Talking about the peers, students can connect with them as well and they can study together. By learning with their friends and preparing for the exams together, they can become more interested and focused towards their studies. 

3. Take Control of your Learning

Students can take the control of their learning as they can complete their course contents anytime they want to. Unlike a traditional approach, there is no need to complete the syllabus in a stipulated amount of time. There is no burden on the students as with the use of this social learning platform they can take control over their learning and finishing their studies on time.

This also generates a sense of responsibility among students as they learn to manage their time and be accountable for their own learning progress. 

4. Increased Participation & Engagement

It is observed that students tend to participate more in their learning as their learning experience becomes more interactive and social. They learn in a group with the help of their teachers which helps them understand and solve their queries immediately. 

Let’s face it an online approach is not suitable for every kid as some kids learn better with the physical presence of their classmates and teachers. This improves their learning thereby making them more engaged and focused in their online classes. 

5. Access & Share innovative Study Materials 

Educational networks consist of lots of various study materials in the form of images, videos, e-books, etc to understand the concepts accurately. With the help of these educational materials, students can grasp the information better. Apart from that, teachers continuously update the information so that students get fresh and updated knowledge constantly. The study materials present on these platforms and networks can also be easily shared by students with their peers. This benefits students as they get to learn updated and interesting information on a day to day basis which is not the case in a traditional learning approach. 

6. One to One Doubt Clearing Session 

With the use of these educational networks, students can instantly clarify their doubts with their teachers. By using the live functionality of this network, they can solve their doubts then and there which leads to a better learning experience. 

7. Social Learning Platforms are Affordable 

When we compare between a traditional approach and an online approach then it can be definitely said that an online approach is much affordable. In an online approach, students have to just pay a one-time fee for using the platform and the course contents and they are good to go. 

Whereas in a traditional environment, they have to invest a lot of money in purchasing books, paying school/college fees, extra-curricular fees, etc.