Today’s learners were born during the technological boom. And they’re growing up in a fast-paced world where information is created, shared, and consumed at higher rates than ever before. Learners spend much of their lives online, especially on social media. So, it’s no surprise that they’d like to be connected 24/7.
The best way to make sure that students keep learning is to make inroads into their social media presence. And social media in education statistics confirm this is the way to go.
Now:
Up until the last decade, most schools enforced strict “no-phone” policies. But with education becoming more learner-oriented, teachers found a way to use social media tools to engage students on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Let’s go over the most important statistics to see how using social media in schools aids learning.
Fascinating Social Media in the Classroom Statistics (Editor’s Choice)
- 45% of teachers believe social media enhances students’ academic experience.
- 71% of K-8 teachers who use social media prefer Facebook.
- 96% of students accessed social media in 2013
- 69% of American schools did not condone social media in the classroom in 2013.
- Social media usage reduced chronic absenteeism among students by 35%.
- Online communities helped 38% of students to which schools to attend.
- In 2019, 93% of schools used Facebook for marketing purposes.
General Social Media in Education Statistics
Social media education is collaborative because teachers, students, and parents can view and comment on academic posts, creating an online learning quality.
So, social learning shifts the emphasis from formal training methods and reaps the benefits of social media to drive knowledge retention and participation within and beyond classrooms.
1. 96% of students access social media.
(eLearning Infographics)
But how much of their social media presence is devoted to education?
Here’s the deal:
- 59% of students in social media talk about education-related topics.
- 50% of students use their social media spaces to discuss their coursework.
What is the attitude of institutions to social media usage? Read on to find out.
2. 69% of American schools did not condone social media in the classroom, statistics from 2013 reveal.
(eLearning Infographics)
That is a vanishing trend today.
By 2016, 59% of schools admitted to using social media for educational purposes. Out of these, 27% of schools had an online community of teachers and administrators.
3. A Pew Research Study of 4,594 Americans revealed that 51% of them visit YouTube with the intention of learning.
(EdTechReview, Videomaker)
What is the specific appeal of YouTube?
The simple answer:
YouTube has become an informal educator for kids and college students. That’s because it has a growing repertoire of explanatory videos of academic concepts. This helps learners gain mastery over their coursework, which traditional teaching might fail to deliver.
Although 87% of educators regard it as a distraction, 77% agree on its positive role.
4. Social media in the classroom statistics from 2016 reveal that 90% of US college students used Facebook to share resource materials.
(Springer)
Additionally, 37% used Twitter to share resources. Over 252 out of 3000 surveyed undergraduate business and management students said spending time on Twitter, managing their social life, and exchanging information had an impact on their academic performance.
5. Research involving 360 undergrads revealed that for every 10% increase in students engagement, there’s an expected increase in student academic performance at a rate of 9.72.
(Springer)
At first glance, communication media technology may appear to be solely for leisure. But when used properly, it can be quite productive.
Check this out:
Peer engagement is predicted to improve by 2.1% for every 10% increase in student participation. The study also found that when students engage in various sites, they begin to interact with their peers. Students became more creative, dynamic, and connected to global instructors for collaborative learning if they used online social media.
6. In 2015, 21% of University of Washington students stated they wanted their professors to use social media as a learning tool more regularly, up from 10% in 2012.
(itconnect)
Students recognise the positive role of social media because it helps them learn new things, interact with course material and classmates, and increase productivity. So, it should come as no surprise that the number of students who said they use social media as a learning tool climbed from 33% in 2011 to 56% in 2015.
7. Only 28% of students feel their teachers use mobile devices appropriately.
(itconnect)
There remains a trend of underutilization of education media by teachers. This hesitancy could be attributed to the fact that 63% of educators viewed the use of cell phones as a distraction for their students.
8. Social media in the classroom statistics state that 75% of UK students had Facebook accounts in 2019, while Instagram is popular among 77% of students.
(UCAS Media)
These figures showed a significant change from 2015 when 85% of students were on Facebook while only 50% were on Instagram.
Now:
A study has found that just like any other teaching tool, Facebook has its upsides and drawbacks.
The advantages of using Facebook in the classroom are:
- Participation in online discussions on Facebook has been linked to improved course performance.
- Even when an instructor does not actively interact in the forum, students’ voluntary engagement in online discussion forums can boost course rankings. This makes online discussion forums particularly appealing to overworked college educators.
The disadvantages are:
- While students will accept Facebook in place of a standard LMS, they have difficulty uploading certain file types.
- When using Facebook for educational purposes, some students are concerned about their privacy.
Social Media and Education Statistics
9. Social media pilot programme in Portland revealed social media’s positive impact on students’ performance by boosting academic scores by 50%.
(Mashable)
Teachers regarded cyberbullying and explicit content as the most significant risks of social media usage by kids. But after running the programme successfully, they argued that the advantages of social media outweighed its risks.
The reason behind incorporating social media in education is to utilise learning tools that learners already know how to use.
For example, students were already familiar with Twitter polls, Pinterest boards, and discussion posts on Facebook.
10. The pilot programme argued in favour of cellphones in the debate on social media, as their use reduced chronic absenteeism by 35%.
(Mashable)
One of the key takeaways was that school authorities should participate in their social life instead of being threatened by students’ use of cell phones. The programme implemented text message chains to wake chronically absent kids to get them into the classroom.
The result?
The school recorded an upsurge in attendance.
11. Social media in education statistics reveal that 20% of students completed extra assignments with no credits during the Portland programme.
(Mashable)
Teachers posted a non-credit assignment on an online forum every day, and as many as one-fifth of students completed it! At the same time, the programme redirected students’ online activities towards the academic forum. As a result, Facebook and MySpace usage was down by four to five hours per week.
12. Research about social media in education shows that online communities helped 38% of students to decide upon schools.
(Source: ijirae)
Educators, students, and schools can all benefit from active engagement in online communities. Students can look at educational institution profiles to choose the best schools and universities for further and higher education.
Key takeaway:
[bctt tweet=”68% of students used social media to research schools.” via=”no”]
13. Social media in education statistics from 2019 show 93% of schools used Facebook for marketing purposes.
(Statista)
Other social media platforms schools used for advertising campaigns were Instagram (83%), Twitter (68%), YouTube (55%), and LinkedIn (44%).
The most popular marketing practices were:
- Including social media links on the school website
- Sharing photos and videos of school events
- Creating Facebook groups for specific interests
Teacher Use of Social Media
14. 71% of K-8 teachers who use social media for personal use prefer Facebook.
(eSchoolNews)
Among the popular platforms, 71% of teachers use Facebook, 33% use Google+, 32% use Pinterest, 27% use Instagram, and 18% use Twitter.
15. A 2018 survey of 738 teachers revealed that 74% preferred Pinterest as the best social media platform for schools.
(MDR education)
Facebook occupied second place among teacher favourites with 39%. Twitter was next with 30%, followed by Instagram with 17%.
Now:
As a hub of teaching resources and art ideas, Pinterest is the natural choice of teachers. 81% said they got inspired with great new ideas for the classroom on the platform.
Additionally, 80% of teachers used teaching resources available on Pinterest.
16. According to social networking facts, teachers in the West of the US used Facebook the least for personal use, with 65% logging in daily.
(eSchoolNews)
In the Midwest, 76% of teachers use the platform.
It might come as a surprise, but teachers’ social media usage differs significantly from region to region, especially in the US.
And it’s not just Facebook:
37% of teachers in the Northeast use Google+ daily for personal, compared to only 20% in the Midwest. Finally, twice as many teachers in the Midwest (40%) use Pinterest daily for personal use than in the Northeast (20%).
17. In 2016, 81% of teachers showed hesitancy when it came to schools using social media.
(THE Journal)
The vast majority expressed concerns about conflicts that might occur from using social media with their students and parents. However, only 19% of teachers said they are intimidated by students’ knowledge or use of technology devices.
But the stats aren’t all bad. Read on to find out why.
18. 45% of K-12 teachers agree that social media enhances students’ academic experience.
(THE Journal)
80% of teachers who integrated social media in classrooms recognised its positive impact. By accelerating engagement in the course and by encouraging collaborative learning, these digital tools enhance students’ academic lives.
The teachers added the following:
If K–12 students experience social media in a productive environment like the classroom, it can help set the tone for their future usage.
Benefits of Social Media in Education
When used correctly, social media can be helpful for students, teachers, and parents.
Let’s go over some of the benefits of educational social media apps:
For Learners
- Students can see how their social networks influence their school activities and vice versa.
- Increases student usage of academic or educational networking, connecting their social and academic activities to a larger world.
- Increases the number of voices in the classroom, which helps to increase engagement, discussion, and understanding.
- Students critique and comment on each other’s assignments and work in teams to create content. They can quickly get in touch with each other and the teacher with questions or start a discussion.
For Educators
- Social networking in schools enhances communication between teachers and students.
- Helps foster a professional community of educators.
- Encourages collaboration when dealing with everyday teaching-related issues.
- Facilitates the exchange of information, ideas, and best practices in an informal setup.
- Provides exposure to technology-based tools and ideas for the classroom.
For Parents
- Encourages parental involvement in the classroom and the curriculum.
Conclusion
Social media education is an all-important wing of social learning. With remote learning in full swing, the positive impacts of social media tools in education can hardly be ignored.
The thing is:
More and more educators are recognising the effectiveness of social media in education and integrating it into their pedagogy to drive students’ academic performance. At the same time, social media platforms are primary marketing tools for educational institutions.
Lastly, social media in education statistics reveal that large-scale social media engagement helps learners make informed choices when selecting colleges to pursue higher education.
Bottom line:
Social media isn’t going anywhere soon. So, the sooner educators embrace innovative ways of utulising it in the classroom, the better.
People Also Ask
Q: What percent of schools use social media?
A: 59% of schools admit to using social media for educational purposes.
Q: How is social media affecting the education of students?
A: Better communication, timely information, online networking, learning, skill enhancement, and career development are just a few of the positive impacts of social media on the education of students.
Q: How is social media used in education?
A: Social media in education statistics reveal some tried and tested ways to use social media in education:
- Using a Facebook Group to stream live lectures and host discussions.
- Using Twitter as a class message board.
- Assigning blog posts as essays.
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