Are you looking for ways to make online education as effective as traditional in-person classes? One of the most effective solutions is social learning. We will help you to figure out what social learning is and offer some tools to explore it.
What Are Social Learning Tools?
A social learning tool is a type of software that is used in formal and informal education to create and manage a learning environment and materials. As a trend, social learning is based on Social Learning Theory suggested by Albert Bandura. It promotes the necessity of social context for the learning process.
With distance learning being a full-blown trend and even a necessity in 2021, social learning tools have become vital for the educational process. They merge the most useful features of social media websites and learning platforms. Such a combination promotes an innovative learning experience.
Social learning tools facilitate the creation of cohesive communities where students can interact, ask questions, and help each other progress. Better communication opportunities enhance learner engagement in online courses. Therefore, social learning makes students feel part of a learning community even if they study at home on their own.
To organize the educational process, teachers may use a number of social learning tools. They aim to maximize student results with the help of enhanced communication, expertise, and structured collaborative practices. Belonging to a community, people feel more accountable for the work they are doing and are more likely to achieve their goals. Therefore, social learning tools have the potential to promote progress and make the learning process more effective.
***Top 10 Social Learning Tools***
You can enjoy a wide range of educational opportunities with modern social learning tools. Blogs, presentations, mind maps, quizzes, games, forums, learning groups, etc. These are only some of the activities that they can offer. Here are some of the best social learning tools for you to try.
#1 Edmodo
Edmodo offers a universal toolkit to help both teachers and students manage classes and trigger collaboration. Users can categorize projects, plan their work, participate in discussions, and discover new interests and passions with the help of engaging learning activities. The platform is safe, easy to use, and free.
#2 Edublogs
Blogs are useful tools that empower self-expression and sharing. Edublogs allows teachers and students to create free blogs with student management features, plugins, and themes. It supports the development of communities. The platform prioritizes the privacy of its users, making social learning safe and comfortable.
#3 Elgg
If you are looking for social networking opportunities for your class, try Elgg. This tool is perfect for creating a rich interactive environment for any educational institution. With its help, you can build your own applications, which makes the tool suitable for multiple learning needs.
#4 ePals
When some social learning tools connect students of one class or institution, ePals supports global learning communities. You can communicate with people around the world to exchange knowledge and study together. The tool helps to find connections based on country, age, languages spoken, subjects, class size, specializations, and interests.
#5 MindMeister
If you are a creative person, MindMeister will help you to visualize and share your ideas. It is an online tool for mind mapping. Best EssayService writers often use it to come up with ideas for academic papers. It is also useful for brainstorming, planning, and working on projects as MindMeister supports real-time teamwork and collaboration.Â
#6 Schoology
Schoology focuses on K-12 schools. It serves the needs of different age groups, offering students over 200 educational tools and integrations. Besides, it provides tips for homeschooling and online learning to maintain a high quality of education even outside schools. Thus, Schoology enhances self-organization among students and maintains motivation.
#7 Ning
Ning will provide you everything you can possibly need to create your own social network. It is a great tool for teachers. They can create a website for their course to share information and manage online classroom activities. You do not even need to have any coding skills because even beginners can figure out how to use the Ning builder.
#8 TalkShoe
The combination of different learning materials helps to foster the understanding of difficult concepts. TalkShoe adds audio materials and podcasts to the learning process. Students and educators can even create their own podcasts and share them with each other. TalkShoe encourages learning communities to generate content and foster learner engagement.
#9 Twiducate
It is a free social learning tool for teachers that aims to extend learning outside the classroom. It is especially useful for elementary and secondary school students. They get a chance to study in a safe and controlled social network where learners can seek answers together. The tool is useful for relationship building and collaborative training.
#10 VoiceThread
VoiceThread is designed for various student needs. K-12 students get to create presentations, take part in discussions, and develop accountability. In higher education, VoiceThread supports interactive lectures, discussions, and professional development of students. It gives learners a sense of social presence even in the context of distance learning.
Any of these learning tools will help you to create a dynamic and enjoyable study environment. Explore different options to find your perfect learning strategy.
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Author Bio: Thomas Moore is an educator and essayist who works as an independent freelance writer at EssayService. Holding an MA in Art, Literature, and Society, he helps students to improve their writing, organizing workshops and lectures. Thomas applies his exercise in literary culture to help young writers to hone their skills.
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