Social media use is widespread among people, and they follow people they know such as their friends, relatives and even teachers. The last one is a controversial matter and is argued in some states of the USA. Some senators claimed and proposed that direct communication between students and teachers should be banned. Despite their assertions, I firmly believe that interactions on social networking sites among learners and instructors are beneficial and enhance the quality of the learning process.
Initially, the most significant contribution is that it makes relationships more intimate and close. Consequently, students consider their teachers like friends and they can connect without hesitation. Moreover, impacts of close relationships can be seen in classrooms. For instance, teachers make jokes related to students’ characteristic features rather than teaching lessons in a boring way, so lessons will be more interesting and easy to track.
Another positive aspect of making connections on social network sites with teachers or students is that social media can be used as a teaching tool. It occurs by directions of instructors. If they create a specific account and repost or share relevant posts, students will examine and benefit from them. It is also called passive learning and many instructors, especially language teachers, use this method such as my teacher in prepatory class Jülide Öztürk.
On the other hand, supporters of prohibiting direct communication between students and teachers assert that it might lead to inappropriate relationships. They are right partially because if teachers use their private accounts, unsuitable relationships can emerge. However, this potential issue can be solved by using different accounts for educational purposes. LinkedIn’s usage for occupational aims is a good example for it.
In conclusion, forbidding communication on social media between students and teachers does not serve any aims and does not solve any problems in education. It should be promoted rather than banned and ministries of education should make some regulations to use social media efficiently and harmlessly.