Integrating Social Media and Traditional Media within the Academic Environment

Abstract

With the advancement of technology, new modes of communication have emerged and are being used in the field of academics. Traditional media played a pivotal role in spreading knowledge in all sections of societies in the world. Traditional media proved to be a powerful tool in the process of making learning and teaching more effective, interesting, and simple to insure everyone benefits to the maximum. Social media are newly-emerged communication networks which are in use not only for sharing information but also for education, knowledge transfer, and for building a global community of academicians. Different tools of social media are in use in different streams of education. Over the years, it has been realized that both traditional and social media have much potential and use in education at all three levels e.g. primary, secondary, and higher education. But, the integration of traditional and social media still has a long way to go in terms of acceptance. This chapter highlights some major points related to changing academic environment, with the use of technology in classes, students vs. teachers’ perspectives on learning and teaching, academics, and use of media – Traditional vs. New media in classes and integrating traditional and social media within the academic environment.