Blog #1: Reflect on a time when social media supported your learning. What worked well, and what challenges came with it?
Harnessing the Internet as the Classroom
When I decided to learn a new language, I started with YouTube. Instead of resorting to textbooks or classes, I decided to turn it into my own personal learning network. The glory about the internet is the amount of free resources that can be found and especially advantageous. Platforms such as Quizlet and Google offer loads of resources, flashcards, and articles filled with personal tips and tricks. What made these work so well for me was the fact that people shared their own experiences and the kinds of things that worked for them in their learning journey. I owe much of my success to active participation, a key component unique to the internet. Individuals worldwide can engage with one another through one singular platform. No money has to be spent, unless you want access to subscriptions or premium learning tools, which isnāt necessary.
Human connection is just as possible online as it is face to face and āIt is developed largely through social media, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and blogs, helping us form connectionsā, as stated in the SHIFT article. YouTube offers videos specifically catered to beginners learning a new language, entailing slow speaking, subtitles and essential starting phrases. Quizlet and YouTube makes it so easy to compile playlists that separate different aspects of your learning. Conjugation, verbs, and simple vocabulary words can be stored and saved separately therefore making everything organized and easily accessible. As long as you show dedication and commitment, the resources are there. Comment sections also leave room for feedback from others who may be more advanced in their journey or more experienced with creating their own personal learning network.
Lost in Translation: Leaving the House?
However, this journey wasnāt without its challenges. Because learning through social media does not require leaving the house, when it comes to learning languages specifically, the immersion aspect is simply not there. Once one reaches the point where they need to converse with others and hear that target language all the time, they canāt do that without travelling and stepping away from the social media element of learning. It is the one thing that is not convenient throughout this entire process. In order to realistically reach a point of fluency and attain proper practice, it is highly suggested to actually go to a place where your chosen language is spoken. Being forced to order food, hold conversation, and read anything on the street are the final steps that really secure fluency. A personal learning network can take oneās knowledge very far, but there still may be some missing aspects such as this one. Recognition must be made for just how much comprehension and mastery can be made through the comfort of your own home, though.