Oh hey there,
I'm just catching up
with some friends on our WhatsApp group…
and send!
Funnily enough,
that's what we're going to talk about today:
social learning.
That's using your phone
or a computer to stay in touch
with other students
as well as your tutors
and academic institution -
just like you do with family and friends.
After all, with one of these,
you can be part
of a learning community even as a distance learner!
Oh, another message arrives!
Ha ha ha!
That is hilarious!
So we're talking about social learning,
but what do we mean by that?
Well, it just means
using digital networks to keep in contact
with other students and academic staff
to help your studies go well.
You can do that in a couple of ways:
one - using the forums & message boards
provided by your academic institution.
Or two - using social platforms
that lots of people use
in your country and around the world.
You can usually make private groups here,
so you and your fellow students
can leave each other messages.
Sometimes it will be a requirement
of your course to participate
on a particular platform
- you have to do it.
But lots of students want to communicate
freely with each other
so they set up a private group
- that's up to you.
You can do it if you want to.
So that's what social learning is,
but why should I do it?
Well, one - It's a useful a place where tutors
can follow up on lectures and webinars
by answering questions asked by students,
and entering into discussions.
Good for your studies!
And two - being a student isn't just about studying.
It's about making friends
and working together too.
You can support each other…
or just have a gossip.
The fact that you can leave
messages for each other means
you can communicate
without having to be online
all at the same time.
Very useful for busy people like you!
Ok, I get the why,
but what about the how?
Good question! And easily answered.
For any social network
you need to create a profile.
I've done it many times myself,
on the old dating sites!!
But seriously, for university forums
you will need to log in to the system
with your username and password
before accessing the forums.
'Log in' means 'to connect securely
to your own account in a digital service'.
Once you are in, you can browse, search
or start new threads.
You may be able to switch on alerts
so that you receive an email
when someone else responds
to a discussion you are interested in.
Also, don't share personal information
like your telephone number
or sensitive information
like your best mate's exam results
Remember, forums always have rules
about what is acceptable language and tone,
so let's be nice in there,
even if you don't always agree with others.
If you are setting up
your own network then
you will need to create it
and then invite others to join.
Or if a fellow student has
set up a network,
then just accept their invitation.
And then you can start sharing knowledge,
exchanging ideas
or just getting to know each other better.
Have fun in there!
Oh!
Ha ha! Wow!
That is amazing!
Check that out! Classic!