BLOGS, LMS AND SOCIAL NETWORK IN EDUCATION

Blogs, LMS and social networks are making a significant impact on how teachers teach, and students learn, bringing collaboration and knowledge sharing to new levels in today’s academia. These tools aren’t the complete solution to solving some of the challenges in education, but it is certainly helping teachers and students with new ways to interact in the classroom. These new interactions are shaping the communication habits of young people, who will soon be the future workers of the world.

A) BLOG

A blog (a blend of the term web log)  is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Blogs share the knowledge of the classroom, projects, and/or experiences with others who can greatly benefit from the shared knowledge. Blogs provide a place for teachers to post homework, keep parents up-to-date, and interact with students outside the classroom. For students, blogs can showcase work, express interests or convictions, and get peer feedback and response. Blogs bring communication and sharing outside the classroom.

Some of the advantages of using block in e-learning are:

1)     Using a blog makes learning independent of time and place
    (a)  From teaching at a certain time in a certain place
    (b)  To teaching anytime and anywhere
    (c)  Blogs and other asynchronous media give learners time to reflect
2)   Using a blog makes education demand oriented, participant-centered
3)   Using a blog encourages learners to be active throughout the course period
4)   Using a blog helps learners improve  their writing competencies
5)   Using a blog captures changes in thinking
6)   Using a blog invites people to collaborate
7)    Using a blog makes education more informal
8)   Using a blog involves also external people
9)   Using a blog facilitates the use of images
10) Using a blog reduces costs
11)   Using a blog encourages people to continuously try things out

B) LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (LMS)

A learning management system is an information system that administers instructor-led and e-learning courses and keeps track of student progress. It can be used internally to monitor the effectiveness of the organization’s education and training.

The advantages of LMS are:

1)     Centralized Learning Environment to Ensure Consistency
2)   Tracking and Reporting for Enhanced Performance
3)   Immediate Capabilities Evaluation
4)   Continuous Product and Service Proficiency for Employees who Interact with Customers and Clients
5)    Regulatory and Legal Compliance

C)  SOCIAL NETWORK

A social network is a social structure made up of individuals (or organizations) called "nodes", which are tied (connected) by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige. Some examples of social network are such as Facebook, Twitter and Frienster.

Social Networks give teachers and students a place to communicate and collaborate around school subjects and projects outside of the classroom in real-time. Teachers can post questions to the class, and students can collaborate on an assignment or a project, making an online environment that further enriches the learning experience. These networks can go beyond just the classroom walls, uniting multiple classrooms and creating an even richer environment for collaboration and knowledge sharing. Free private social networks, like Socialcast, give education a fast and simple way to start these communities.

Some of the advanatages are:

1)     Builds Credibility

You definitely can gain the customers' confidence if you can connect to them on both a personal and professional level. Despite having to do a bit of work, it definitely pays off as you can be tapped for an  offer if someone catches wind of your products or services. As long as you don't pursue them too aggressively, you will do well here.

2)   Connections

You are friends with people who have other friends, and so on. There is potential in such a common situation. By using a social networking site, you can do what you can and get connected with these people to form a web of connections that can give you leverage if you play your cards right. As long as you give as well as you receive, then they will most likely stick with you. These connections are definitely valuable in the long run.