Social Media as a Learning Tool: A Perspective on Formal and Informal Learning

Introduction

Learning has always been a continuous process for human beings. It is a compound phenomenon that has come up with a variety of theories including historical and philosophical perspectives (Leng, 2020). Nevertheless, the ways and needs of learning have transformed over a period of time and there have been varied perspectives on this transformation. The spectrum of learning theories can be categorized into four main types: Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, and Social Learning (Kumar & Sharma, 2021). The Behavioral learning theory, or Behaviorism, is a common philosophy that focuses on how students learn. All behaviors are acquired through experiences with the environment, according to Behaviorism. The basic belief about the distinction between mind and matter was invented by Plato (Ertmer & Newby, 2013). Cognitivism, on the other hand, is the study of how the human mind functions while studying. It focuses on how learning happens due to the processing of information by the brain (Eriseny et al., 2016). Constructivism deals with the idea that people's experiences of learning decide about facts to extract knowledge (Driscoll, 2000). Social learning theories, especially connectivism, shed light on educators’ roles in the socially networked world (Singh & Kumar, 2022). In addition, the connectivist approach to learning has stressed the cognitive and relational roles of social media (SM), with learners encouraged to participate in peer-to-peer dialog, facilitate resource sharing, and fostering of communication skills development (Siemens & Weller, 2011). In recent years, learning has become more learner centric and is moving towards social learning. This social learning is not concerned with only classroom events but keeps occurring all day and every day, with the help of things one sees around them. Social learning theory was proposed by Bandura and Walters (1977), and it has since become one of the most commonly accepted theories of learning and development. Over the last few decades, learning paradigms have changed from conventional classrooms to online learning, e-learning, interactive learning, and a number of other hybrid types. This may be because the new generation of students are more comfortable with digital technologies, leading to convenience and availability as the most important factors in learning (Kumar & Sharma, 2016). This change suggests a shift away toward learner-centered environments from educator-centered learning environments that prioritize knowledge production rather than transmission (Brownson, 2014; Mittal & Kumar, 2019).

Social learning contributes to both the formal and informal settings and can have a meaningful impact across the varied set of learners. The use of SM as a learning platform has the huge potential to bridge the gap between informal and formal learning and can serve as an important tool in Social Learning. Although formal learning is characterized as learning in organized and structured contexts (Kahnwald, 2009), experiential and unintended learning are examples of informal learning (Colardyn & Bjornavold, 2004).

SM Integration in the Formal Classroom-Based Education

The requirements of individuals and societies are not met by current formal education systems. A number of researchers have argued that formal education policies are radically handicapped as they kill creativity and foster low self-esteem (Leng, 2020). Some of the reasons for this include fear of failure, obtaining bad grades, high competition, and peer pressure. Hence, the students stop thinking creatively and mostly after the grades. This creates a lot of strain on the mind of learners. Also at the end of the day, learners can only do a few things like a job or career, because the education or knowledge is limited to that specific area only. The growing demand for better education for an ever-increasing number of students, especially in developing countries, necessitates the creation of alternatives to formal education (Grajcevci & Shala, 2016). The traditional method of education delivery has been exceeded by emerging technologies as today's learner relies more on modern technologies.

The popular Web 2.0 technologies have created a growing phenomenon of learning in which people produce, engage, and share existing or new content through multiple platforms (Nanda & Kumar, 2021). With the emergence of SM tools, an innovative pattern of teaching and learning has arisen (McCarroll & Curran, 2013). The new-age learning through SM platforms has paved a way for both formal and informal learning, which suits the need of almost every learner (Kumar et al., 2022). Digital technology promotes new teaching and learning methods that improve student participation, lower operating costs, and help schools and universities preserve their brands and reputations. SM provides content, pictures, words, and much more. Students envision technology-enabled learning environments that stretch beyond the classroom walls and are not restricted by budget limitations, conventional funding sources, or even teacher expertise or skills. Not only can using SM in the classroom inspire students to collaborate and be more innovative, but it can also assist them in understanding real-world uses for the SM resources they are already using. Social learning may be referred to as active learning, in which the students engage at their own speed actively in their own learning rather than passively processing data in the classroom that they mostly recall before the test. Due to features such as sharing with comments, live streaming, or group sharing, the information provided by SM platforms excites students to a different level. This new style of blended learning provides the students with an allround experience and offers a lot of flexibility to the students as they do not want to sit all the time in the class. This generates convenience and availability, which are considered as important factors in learning. Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube connect people and ideas instantaneously across big distances (https://smallbiztrends.com/2013/05/the-complete-history-of-social-media-infographic.html). Social networking tools can improve student engagement when used correctly, they can connect students to content experts, find online classroom lessons, and help them build online personnel or establish their brand community (Lata & Gupta, 2021). Some of the most famous SM platforms, which can be integrated into formal learning include the following.

SM in Informal Learning Through Online Education

Informal learning environments exist outside the formal learning environments, which provide opportunities to engage students in academic disciplines without following the constraints of formal learning. Learning is, therefore, more self-directed, nontraditional, and informal. Informal learning has existed in the form of society funding for traditional apprenticeships for several years prior to the peak of the industrial revolution in the 19th century, and it is now commonplace in the knowledge-based economy of the 21st century as a cognitive apprenticeship (Collins & Kapur, 2014). Informal learning can be facilitated by a number of online platforms by enabling individuals to learn on-demand. The activities may include watching videos, doing self-study, reading blogs, participating in forums and chat rooms, receiving performance feedback, coaching sessions, and playing games. Learners are continually gaining novel skills and knowledge, exploring better methods of work and ways to make a living, solving problems, and evolving the ways to develop access, and exchange information in today's digitally connected world, all through informal methods. Mobile devices, communities of practice, instant messaging, SM platforms, and other online platforms promote informal learning.

Redmond & Lillis (2010) have investigated that Social Networking Sites are highly beneficial to learners and professionals. Today more than ever, students, working people, and even companies need to be SM savvy to thrive. Many theories and models have been tested by researchers to assess the viability of using SM for educational purposes. The students want to record their feelings and observations in an extremely timely manner. A critical feature of modern learning environments has been known to be informal learning (Ebner et al., 2010). Informal education can be an effective alternative to link education and national development. Since today's learners are anxious, mobile savvy, connected, and ICT driven, they are unlikely to enroll in a 2-month or even 2-week instructor-led course to learn a new skill. The use of SM as a learning platform has the ability to close the gap between formal and informal learning. SM tools like WordPress, Wikipedia, and LinkedIn allow learners to connect with communities, experts in the field, and peers across the world. In interactive formats, it also offers engaging platforms to promote student–student, student–teacher, and student–content experiences. Technologies in SM that allow students to interact in new and meaningful ways in educational contexts outside the conventional classroom have the potential to cross the distinction between formal and informal learning. More significantly, through social networks, students may benefit from internships and job opportunities.

Online social networks allow the students and instructors to present themselves socially in an online environment (Lee & McLoughlin, 2010). By using SM as learning tools, informal learning might be linked to the structured learning environment. Online learning has been categorized into three major categories.

Asynchronous Online Courses. In this type of course, the course does not have an accurate time. The lecture content is imparted through computer-based material and within the stated time, the evaluated homework must be submitted.

Synchronous Online Courses. The teacher and learner enroll simultaneously in the class in this group and they will instantly communicate with each other. The learner participates from a distance in this classroom.

Hybrid Courses (Blended Courses). This form of learning experience provides both asynchronous and synchronous online courses. In virtual schools and online universities, there are several people involved today. MIT Open Course Ware, Khan Academy, Open College Textbooks, TED, and other free and open educational tools can be used by the majority of online learners during online courses.

Individuals with access to the Internet today have a range of possibilities to learn and access learning materials with their computer devices anywhere. Fortunately, such access is easily enabled by mobile technology in remote and underprivileged regions of the world (Song et al., 2015). An open-access online course that requires unrestricted (huge) participation is a MOOC. It functions on the notion of tailor-made learning, through Social Networking Systems. The existence of MOOCs offers open access to anyone, anywhere in the world, with the same material available at the most prestigious universities and the most renowned experts, for a more organized education and the award of degrees. The popular MOOC platform, Courseera registered 20 million learners in 2020 (https://www.classcentral.com/report/mooc-stats-pandemic/). Table 1 lists the top five MOOC providers by registered users in 2019.

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Table 1.

Top Five Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) Providers.

Platform	Learners	Courses	Degrees
Coursera	45 million	3,800	16
edX	24 million	2640	10
Udacity	11.5 million	200	1
FutureLearn	10 million	880	23
Swayam	10 million	1,000	0

This can be seen from the table that all of these platforms are focused on the courses and very few degrees are available. This shows the popularity of informal learning across this large number of users. Owing to policy changes, the number of MOOCs available has increased significantly in the last few years. Arizona University, the University of Pennsylvania, UC San Diego, and Imperial College London are the leading universities that have embraced MOOC-based education. Others have announced additions to their current online degree offerings, such as Georgia Tech and the University of Illinois. Some other platforms initiated by the Government of India offering MOOC courses include Swayam, Swayamprabha, and NEPTEL etc. In addition, people can learn through the use of emerging technologies (e.g. mobile, digital, or ubiquitous technology) anywhere and at any time in informal and non-traditional ways (Bonk, 2010). As a consequence, informal learning can change a learner's identity through online tools, because the participatory nature of digital technologies has enabled individuals to learn both in and outside of the classroom. They have dramatically changed the learning and academic paths of a person. For informal, self-directed learners, social networking sites can be very useful. The informal learning supported by the popular platforms include the following.

SM Integration and Learning Outcomes

SM has a positive effect on the learning process, leading to improved results (Ertmer et al., 2011). Many research groups have studied the different aspects of SM (Novak et al., 2012). Junco et al. (2011) looked at the usage of Twitter and blogs, while Yang et al. (2011) discovered that interactive blogs play an important role in student peer engagement, which contributes to increased academic achievement. A summary of the specific outcomes from the SM integration in formal/informal learning has been presented in Table 2.

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Table 2.

Social Media Learning Outcomes.

S. no	Social media	Reference	Outcome	Formal/informal learning
1	Facebook, YouTube	Al-Rahmi et al., 2017	Increased academic performance	Formal
2	Facebook, YouTube	Daniel et al., 2017	Increase in skills/ability and knowledge	Formal learning
3	Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter Instagram, WhatsApp	Eid & Al-Jabri, 2016.	Enjoyment	Informal learning
4	Facebook, YouTube	Ansari & Khan, 2020	Collaborative learning	Informal learning
5	Facebook, Twitter, YouTube	Faizi et al., 2013	Enhanced problem solving	Informal learning
6	Instagram, WhatsApp	Greene, 2018	Self-regulated learning	Informal learning
7	Facebook, YouTube, Twitter	Gikas & Grant, 2013	Peer learning	Informal learning
8	YouTube, Instagram, Facebook	Mayer, 2019	Incidental learning	Informal learning
9	Facebook, Twitter	Deaton, 2015	Socio-cognitive learning	Formal learning
10	Facebook	Nyagah et al., 2015	Enhanced confidence	Informal learning
11	Facebook, YouTube	Ansari & Khan, 2020	Increased creativity	Informal learning
12	Facebook Instagram, Twitter	Çakmak, 2020, Ansari & Khan, 2020	Better engagement	Formal and informal learning
13	Facebook, Twitter	Asio & Khorasani, 2015	Innovation	Formal and informal
14	WhatsApp	Akulwar, 2019	Better connectivity even without presence in class	Informal learning

Some of the common outcomes of the SM based learning include the following:

Better Engagement. SM may play a critical role in carrying out educational and engaging learning events (Kumar & Nanda, 2019). In graduate study training, SM use is related to student participation and innovation (Rasheed et al., 2020).

Innovation. As innovative, professional, and talented individuals connect via SM networks like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, blogs, Myspace, and Wikis, spontaneous and planned inventions emerge (Asio & Khorasani, 2015). As a creative informal learning platform, SM offers opportunities. The inclusion of newer data and updates on a regular basis cannot be taught in the classroom, but they can be easily exchanged on social networking platforms, keeping students aware (Sorte, 2016).

Enhanced Problem Solving. Although collecting knowledge may be accomplished on one's own, students’ problem-solving abilities are also improved in a collaborative environment. Students may collaborate on projects that are outside their individual capacities using SM (Faizi et al., 2013).

Self-regulated Learning. Students may learn at their own speed and choose their own place, time, and material, as well as the stages of their studies, using e-learning. Students have new and enticing opportunities to express themselves in a number of ways and openly engage in different dialogs to learn new information and cultures thanks to SM. Indeed, users of SM can read or view their friends’ online, self-published posts without having to communicate with them directly (Lee & Horsley, 2017).

Incidental Learning. Any accidental or unplanned learning is referred to as incidental learning. Models of digital learning (Mayer, 2019), self-regulated learning, and other deliberate learning practices have been well-articulated (Greene, 2018). The material available for incidental exposure is influenced by the desires and motivations of users.

Peer Learning. Students may use SM and mobile devices to build, edit, and distribute course materials in text, video, and audio formats. Social networking sites offer a forum for students to connect, chat, and express emotional intelligence while also searching for people with different viewpoints (Gikas & Grant, 2013).

Socio-Cognitive Learning. The methods that learners use to systematically and deliberately achieve their personal objectives are referred to as self-regulated learning. As a consequence, it requires a person's use of intellect, actions, and affects to keep this pursuit going (Zimmerman & Schunk, 2011).

Collaborative Learning. Another significant advantage of SM is that it encourages teamwork. Collaboration involves working together to accomplish shared goals creatively and socially (Faizi et al., 2013).

Enjoyment. Saudi Arabia University conducted a report on graduate and postgraduate students. Chatting, online discussion, file sharing, and information sharing, as well as entertainment and enjoyment, were found to have a positive association with students learning (Eid & Al-Jabri, 2016).

Enhanced Confidence. The key benefits and advantages of social networking sites have been established by researchers. Facebook, for example, offers people a sense of independence and belonging, as well as growing their faith and cheering them up through tough times (Nyagah et al., 2015). More loner students connect via SM, according to Voorn and Kommers (2013), which helps them collaborate and build self-confidence.

Increased Performance. According to a research study conducted by (Al-Rahmi et al., 2017), both collaborative learning through SM platforms and student satisfaction have a positive impact on students’ results.

Better Connectivity Even Without Presence in Class. Teachers and students are increasingly using WhatsApp as a networking channel. It is low-cost, easy-to-use, open, and effective, and it employs natural language. It promotes regular interactions with the facilitator and knowledge sharing among students, as well as independent learning at any time and place (Akulwar, 2019).

Increased Skills. The medium through which information is transmitted between communities and learners has often been identified as SM. These platforms, according to Yu et al. (2010), can have a positive impact on students’ success and skill development.

Increased Creativity. Social networking helps one to meet a huge number of people and involve them in thinking creatively in their own communities. The use of online SM for interactive learning was listed as a way for students to be more creative (Ansari & Khan, 2020).

Conclusion

The learning environment in the 21st century can be enhanced with the usage of SM platforms in both formal and informal settings. The implications of the SM will further increase due to the increasing number of users and the enhanced penetration of the internet. Understanding the SM integration outcomes can enhance learning in a balanced manner for both the formal and informal environments. However, a proper plan is required to reap the actual benefits. Effective integration would lower the costs, give better and timely results, and improve understanding and engagement along with a better reach among the students. With the social-media-based support to open and digitized learning tools, many prospects have emerged in this worldwide network for developing interactive learning strategies, which can be more productive and efficient for the ever-evolving learner requirements.