The internet is full of suggested ways to succeed in an online course. You’ll probably find tips for getting better grades in an online course that relate to practicing good time management, having a determined attitude, and being careful to check your work before submitting it, but it’s rare to get recommendations about going on social media to improve your grades. In many cases, social media serves as a distraction, but there are also ways being a social media user could improve your grades.
Stay More Informed By Reading Targeted News Content
Before the internet existed, students had to find physical copies of news articles that related to their fields of study. Some scholars still prefer that method, but many go with the much more efficient method of reading news online.
Also Read: 5 Ways to Enhance Your Business on Social Media
If you use social media often, you’ve probably chosen to follow the feeds of companies, individuals, and publications that relate to what you’re studying. As a result, you can enjoy a curated news feed that only includes headlines from certain media outlets. Although it’s necessary to ensure you maintain a well-balanced approach to media consumption by not reading content that’s too biased, you can theoretically find out the most notable happenings of the day simply by spending a few minutes on social media.
Turn to Your Friends for Class-Related Suggestions
Facebook has recently introduced a feature that makes it possible to ask friends for recommendations. For example, if you’re searching for a coffee shop that has a lot of electrical outlets, ample table space, and a quiet atmosphere to take your online course in an environment that’s conducive to learning, you might request recommendations on Facebook to see what friends have to say. As they start to weigh in, the locations of suggested places appear on a map that you can conveniently access.
Receiving recommendations from friends is also helpful if you need information urgently. Maybe you’re taking an online course that offers live video content and your webcam broke only an hour before the start of the next session. The immediate feedback that’s often given through social media might steer you in the right direction if you want to buy another webcam quickly to avoid missing the video content.
Post Surveys on Social Media to Poll People You Know
Some internet-based courses require students to conduct surveys for informal research purposes. For example, maybe you’re taking a cyber security course through MVU Online, Maryville University’s internet-based learning option, and the professor wants you to poll people to find out how familiar they are with career opportunities in the industry.
On the other hand, perhaps you’re lacking direction about which online courses to take in a broad field, such as business. The University of Birmingham at Alabama is one institution that offers many bachelor’s degrees including a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems. A casual survey conducted across social media could provide valuable suggestions about your ideal educational path by highlighting strengths friends have noticed in you.
Clearly, social media isn’t just something that could disrupt your studies. It also may help you succeed as a student.