‘Social’ professors benefit students

Social networks like Facebook and Twitter may help friends stay in touch, and having professors jump in on the social networking bandwagon can only make college life and communication easier.

Most UCF students have probably had at least one experience where they commuted all the way to campus just to learn their class was canceled for the day. If that one class is the only reason for even arriving to campus at all, then the trip seems like a waste of time.

Twitter and Facebook are tools that could come in handy for up-to-date information like class cancellations or changes in assignments, and UCF faculty are learning how to incorporate them into their teaching methods.

Webcourses is the main tool UCF uses for students and professors who utilize Web-based learning, but this isn't an effective tool for students and instructors who aren't in online classes. Even those in online classes can admit that Webcourses is not always the most trustworthy way to stay connected.

E-mails are usually sent out to classes if there are changes made, but in the case of cancellations, it may be too late by the time the entire class is notified.

Some students could argue that they don't want their professors to see what they do in everyday life, but more than one account could be made to separate the personal life from the professional or academic one.

Facebook can make group projects run smoother by allowing professors to create a community where everyone can make sure assignments are clear and completed correctly and on time.

In addition to that, students can also use the communities created by professors to help each other out with the assignments, especially when it is 3 a.m. and most professors aren't online.

Facebook also has a chat application so classmates are able to see when their classmates are online and speak with them directly about an assignment instead of posting comments and having to wait for a response.

Facebook isn't the only social networking entity that could improve communication between a community of professors and students.

Twitter can also allow professors to give out timely updates to their classes instead of having students find out important information a few minutes before classes start.

Students should welcome the incorporation of faculty into social networks because it could strengthen teacher-student communication that has plenty of room for improvement.