Social learning is learning mixed with fun. “Fun? Is that allowed in class when you’re an adult?” you may ask. Actually, there’s no rule stating that fun and learning are necessarily separate processes, even with adults. In fact, there may be evidence to support the contrary. Think back to your most memorable learning experiences. Were they dull, dry, and demanding? Or is your ability to recall the information you learned heightened because there was something fun attached to the lesson? Here are some interesting statistics about social media use in the “classroom”.

A recent survey conducted by the Babson Research Group and Pearson found that:

1. College faculty members are twice as likely as other workers to be using social media as part of their job.
2. More than 80 percent of faculty members are using some form of social media in their teaching.
3. Nearly two-thirds of faculty members use social media within their class session.
4. 30 percent of faculty members post content for students to view outside of class.
5. Almost half of faculty members use video and other sites in their teaching, with another one-third using video only.
6. 20 percent of faculty members require students to post social media content as part of an assignment.
7. The majority of faculty members report visiting more than one social media site for personal use, with Facebook and YouTube being the most commonly visited.

Does that last statistic bother you? Focus less on the “personal use” aspect, and think instead about how it speaks to what stimulates us, as human beings. We largely crave connection with each other and we crave knowledge. We are stimulated by vibrant sensory experiences, which is why these social media outlets have captured our attention en masse and regardless of occupation. Social media is an effective learning tool because the media-rich environment of the online space provides a major benefit for students of diverse learning styles. In other words, it bolsters student engagement and retention. And let’s remember that it’s a tool (or multiple tools, if not taken holistically), and not a substitute for instruction. If anything, social media enhances the role of the teacher in the student’s educational life instead of diminishing it. The real-time aspect of social media means teachers are available outside of traditional hours and in very non-traditional forums, making those teachers assume a more mentor-like role.

Because social media is a broad category comprising diverse parts, there are countless ways for teachers to effectively implement pieces of social learning into their curriculum. Video “how-to” manuals on YouTube for visual learners; public radio broadcasts; audio documentaries; online book-clubs; photo-sharing sites; blogs devoted to niche topics; RSS feeds for breaking news sites; Facebook group chats for classmates working on projects; the Twitter feeds of prominent public figures and intellectuals; and LinkedIn forums devoted to relevant and timely topics and contributed to by professionals and experts. Social media is the culmination of millions of minds, and of millions of pieces of content of varying types and dimensions, all working to inform, inspire, and connect.

How does this mass of information help the student on the quest for knowledge? Beside the obvious content-related benefits, it must, in the long-run, help the student to compartmentalize and to think critically; requiring them to mentally sift through material to find what is relevant, what is factual, and what is opinion-based. It helps the student to understand his or her connection to the larger world. Social media isn’t a “different” world that exists online. It connects all of our “real” worlds and makes us neighbors and partners in learning. It instills the confidence needed for students to realize that they, too, can be contributors to the vast and ongoing dialogue that has become a worldwide conversation, informed by learning and by knowledge.