Contextual Analysis

No one would have ever thought 20 years ago that the cool new social media opportunities that were starting to make their grand debut would ever serve another purpose other than personal enjoyment and use.  Not anymore.  In recent years the numbers of professors and teachers around the globe that are starting to use social media in the classroom has been steadily growing.  With the rise in popularity of online classes it only makes sense that there would be an increase in the use of social media and other related online tools to enhance one’s education.  Teachers and professors of both online and traditional in-person classes are utilizing the amazing abilities of social media in the education arena, although according to a survey done by Babson and Pearson Learning Solutions last year showed that online instructors tend to use social media as an integrated part of their curriculum and class more than traditional instructors do.

Part of the reason that this is occurring is due to the fact that in recent years social media has become such a normal part of most individual’s lives that it feels odd to not be incorporating it in such time consuming and important areas of life such as education.  Along with utilizing social media capabilities in the classroom, there has been an increase in social media use among parents in order to help their children with homework.  By developing apps and pages for parents to post questions and answers to homework questions by other parents, they are able to network with fellow parents and tutors to ease the frustration of homework questions posed by confused students.

An article from The Straits Times-Singapore, published just within this last month, talks about the different apps that are emerging for parents to use when helping their children with homework.  These apps and pages provide a way to post questions, problems and other issues simply by typing a question or taking a picture of schoolwork for other parents and tutors to see and respond to; parents who have tried these apps are experiencing much less frustration and more prompt help due to the nature of social media in general being so accessible and faster to use.  Most of these apps offer help and a network of tutors and volunteers in three subjects, generally Math, English and Science. 

Although some argue that increased use of social media in the classroom setting is disruptive and distracting, others in the academic world say that in increases communication between other students and the professor, as well as enhancing the credibility and accuracy of grading for professors, among many other positive qualities.  There are already systems in place in a lot of schools and colleges around the country that implement some form of media with social aspects; even the system Canvas at Dixie State University has the opportunity to not only see classes and grades, but provides a place for the professor to post announcements, for students to connect for the purposes of clarifying assignments or forming study groups, as well as lending a digital platform to students in order to share and discuss ideas.  Media is a powerful tool, as well as a fun one, and definitely has its place in the academic world when utilized properly.  The same logic applies outside of the classroom in using technology and yes, even social media, to fortify and benefit education and students’ pursuit of academic success.

The physical context with this new idea of incorporating homework and questions about school with social media is far reaching; apps are so easily acquired by anyone who has a phone, and for those who don’t have phones to use, there are websites and pages that can be accessed to accomplish the same thing.  In this technological age there is really no excuse to not have access to a phone or computer whether it is a personal device or using another person's devices or a public computer at a library.  Apps such as EduSnap and pages like Homework Gods provide an avenue for several tutors or set of parents or even a whole network of volunteers to share their knowledge with multiple students in various locations simultaneously and in a short period of time without having to be physically present.

I think that the most noticeable paradigm shift with this idea of social media assisting with education would be within the psychological context.  For those individuals in our society who experienced education before the explosion of technology sometimes find it hard to consider that technology can actually be a useful tool and not just a distraction for entertainment.  The mindset that technology is not helpful is one of the biggest hurdles that students, parents and educators are fighting against and attempting to overcome today; instead of focusing on the ways that social media and technology as a whole can be a hindrance to students and instead exploring the ways it can be helpful is the key to unlocking the potential that lies within the world of technology.

This new move within education and social media circles of combining the two to work together is a big change in social context; never before have homework problems and the common assignment struggles of students and parents of students been made public.  By posting questions and problems it includes more people in the process of finding the right answer; instead of just one tutor, a few teachers and parents, social media education apps and pages involves other tutors from other places, parents who have been in the same place before, and total strangers who might be able to help via technology.  This networking makes the homework experience much more social, but also expedites the process and lessens the amount of frustration and confusion for both parents and students.

From the Cultural context standpoint this change in the process of making homework public and social opens up the whole context to cross-cultural exposure and interactions.  There's no telling who might see the questions and problems that are posted or where they might be from, and since social media and technology knows no borders it turns the education arena into a global classroom instead of being limited to one room in one building with one teacher.

Lastly, the temporal context is one of the best and most popular features of the idea behind homework being incorporated into the social media scene; due to the instant access and ease of posting and asking questions, the response time is so much faster than waiting for the next day to go to class or waiting to see a teacher about homework questions.  In this way more homework is done in less time with less waiting, less frustration, and a more integrated, focused approach to schoolwork.

Technology and education in today's world can go hand in hand; when used properly we as a society can tap into the incredible and amazing potential that lies within the realm of technology.  It might take time, and it might not be an easy transition, or maybe it will be, but when we begin to fully utilize and take advantage of the wonderful opportunities that social media and technology offers us, we will benefit greatly from it and it will be well worth the investment.