Abstract:

Social media platforms have become an indispensable part of people’s lives in the digital era. Correspondingly, the educational spectrum is also foreseen to experience various pedagogical transformations owing to the continuous rise in the usage of web 2.0 tools across the globe. The expanding thesaurus of social media applications (Social Networking, blogs, wikis, hashtagging, etc.) is observed to aid the growth of several informal pedagogical channels that can foster the development of networked, collaborative and constructive virtual learning environments. In order to gain a better understanding regarding the educational value of the web 2.0 technologies, the present study aimed to identify the reception and usage of various social media platforms in the educational context. It proposed to analyze the extent to which social media channels are being utilized for the purpose of knowledge sharing, knowledge creation and knowledge acquisition. An extensive survey was conducted among the faculty members of Tamil Nadu in India - a state known for its high academic output. The study showcased that the penetration level of social media platforms among the higher educational institutions in Tamil Nadu is still in its infancy. Though a large number of faculty members are currently employing these platforms for gathering and sharing educational information and resources, only a very few were contributing new learning resources/content back to these platforms.But even in its infancy, the growing adoption of the social web by faculty members has initiated a revolution in the contemporary educational landscape thereby providing more enhanced learning experiences for the students.

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