Takeaways from the Semester | W12 Q2 | Forum

This question made me realize that I have a chance to read and reflect on variety of different issues on learning, social media, and mind! Honestly, before this class, I didn’t think or discuss deeply on what do we mean by media and learning, how does “mind” play a role in such discussion, how social media takes place in educational settings and so on. As a person who considers social media mainly through different SNSs, our discussions widen my horizon, for sure.

For example, through the debate between Kozma and Clark, I had a chance to rethink more on the definition of learning and media. Their arguments helped me to understand how learning is beyond solely cognitive development and it is much more complex than that (socially and culturally situated). The debate about how media considered as a vehicle to support instruction versus to support our interactions with others was also interesting to see the nuances of learning.

Additionally, readings introduced me with some concepts that I never considered before, such as the notion of social capital. I find the idea of social capital is very compelling, since it reflects the resources that help us to build relationships with others and build communities. In that way, I believe there is a mutual connection between the notions of social capital and social media if we consider these two concepts as resources or tools for people.

Finally, the readings and our discussions have challenged me to think more about not only the role of social media in education, but also the potential drawbacks and challenges of using these platforms in the classrooms. They also helped me to take step further and reflect on the challenges of using AI systems in K-12 education. In a way, those discussions helped me to find another educational interest to consider!