The Roles of Social Media in Education: Affective, Behavioral, and Cognitive Dimensions

Book excerpt: technologies, in education. A large body of research has attempted to measure the extent to which social media change human communication. In education, researchers and educators have employed social media to increase students’ engagement inside and outside the classroom. They have been exploring the effects of the use of social media on the learning outcome, and learners’ beliefs and experiences. However, some of their endeavors are inconclusive. As the effects of social media in education are context-sensitive, research results reflecting different contexts around the world will contribute to the literature on social media and education. Student engagement in learning, a growing interest in educational research, is widely believed to contribute to the success of learning. The contemporary literature shows that students can engage in learning affectively, behaviorally, and cognitively. Recent studies are also interested in using technology to mediate students’ social and metacognitive engagement in learning. As student engagement is a multidimensional area, interdisciplinary studies have recently expanded their literature. The use of social media to increase student engagement in learning remains underexplored.