Yes, you read the headline correctly! Social media can be used for learning. Although many people may use social media to “waste time” or to catch up with friends, it can also be a great learning tool. Here’s how you can use some of the leading social media sites as a learning and research tool.

1. Twitter

In between responding to Tweets, Direct Messages and Retweets, users can find some real value in Twitter. Using hash-tags is a great way to find out information about a particular subject. For instance, if you want to learn about the latest education news, you would search #education. You will then be showed a screen that shows you all the tweets containing the term, “#education”. Many times these Tweets will contain links to articles. This is an excellent way to stay current on a particular topic.

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2. StumbleUpon

What a fantastic site! After signing up for a free account, users are prompted to select their interests. After selecting your interests, you simply hit the “Stumble” button. StumbleUpon will then find you content based on your interests. What makes StumbleUpon so unique is the variety of content StumbleUpon provides you with! You will come across content you never would’ve discovered on your own! You’ll have so much fun “stumbling” you wont even notice you’re learning. This is a great way of encouraging your child to read.

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3. Pinterest

This social media site is the latest rage and has surpassed Google+ as the third leading social media site. What’s all this hype about and how can you use it productively?. Pinterest is a social media tool that functions similarly to an electronic bulletin board. Users pin their interests to a bulletin board and share it with the world. Pinterest users can choose from a variety of categories ensuring that there is something for everyone. It’s an excellent way of finding interesting photos, captions, and articles related to your interests. Beware-Pinterest is incredibly addicting!.

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4. Google plus

Google plus may not be the most popular social media site but it sure is useful! Many educators and employers are now encouraging students and professionals to use Google plus to facilitate learning and group work. Users create “circles” like family, friends, and coworkers. When the user is ready to share information, they simply choose which circle they’d like to share it with. For example, you may want to share a funny article with friends but not with coworkers or colleagues. Where Google plus really shines is how it can be used for group work. To do this, create a circle with your project name and invite all your group members. You can use this circle to post details about the project, have a group chat in real-time (thanks to Google Talk integration), and so much more. It’s a fantastic alternative to sending out mass emails. Users also get notified of every update ensuring that they don’t miss a beat! If a team member has fallen behind, they can easily re-read posts/conversations to catch up to speed rather than sift through their email box.

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5. Digg

Digg is one of many social bookmarking sites and just happens to be my favorite! You may be wondering, “What is social bookmarking?” Social bookmarking sites are public sites where users share their favorite links and stories. This is a fantastic way of keeping up with the hottest news. Digg also lets you sort articles and links by category, making it a snap to find the information you want!.



As you can see, social media does have a lot of educational value. In particular, Google Plus, Pinterest, StumbleUpon, Digg and Twitter can all be great tools to facilitate learning.

Michael is passionate about education and technology. He is a tutor in New York City. You can give Michael a shout on his Twitter!.