In the past two decades, online learning has evolved by leaps and bounds, with traditional classrooms reinvented as websites and apps, and social media serving as the virtual hallways, libraries, and common areas where students meet and share their experiences.
Within the social media landscape, students have discovered there is more value in smaller, private group settings that direct their focus to a single course or area of study. Instructors also recognize the value. At the University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC), such instructors are taking on greater leadership responsibilities as moderators of the program or interest-specific Facebook groups, creating a space for students to engage and learn separately from their online classrooms.
鈥淚f [UAGC] were a brick and mortar campus, we would engage students as we see them 鈥 at events, student faculty clubs, etc.,鈥 explains College of Professional AdvancementProgram Chair Bill Davis, who moderates and posts to the school鈥檚 Facebook group and oversees the college鈥檚 management club on LinkedIn. 鈥淭echnology now makes it possible to socialize with students, alumni, colleagues and friends, both past and present.鈥
The , which has grown to include more than 1,500 student/alumni members since it launched in 2018, is one of under the UAGC umbrella. The also has its own group, as do the UAGC , , , , and one for its student body.
Why You Should join a Facebook Group
As a UAGC student, you are encouraged to join one or more of these groups to stay connected. Here are four reasons why you should become a member today.
1. Networking
While UAGC has a number of clubs and organizations for you to search out job opportunities and discuss companies of interest, Facebook groups give you a chance to network with peers on a platform that鈥檚 designed for social engagement and not entirely focused on career advancement. UAGC students can use Facebook groups to .
鈥淸Students] are engaging and collaborating with others that may be in the same boat they are in,鈥 says Tisha Shipley, program chair for the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education.
Shipley and other instructors who post to the Facebook groups see value in offering students 鈥渋nteractive鈥 material outside of the classroom. In a group of likeminded individuals, there is a far greater chance you鈥檒l meet someone seeking or already settled in to the career field you鈥檙e thinking about pursuing.
2. Finding Resources
Facebook was built for sharing, but with 2.38 billion users (and counting), there鈥檚 a lot to sift through if you鈥檙e searching for a specific link, article, or presentation. In a group setting, you鈥檙e more likely to get help from a fellow student who is also a trusted source. Students in the Facebook groups are also on the same page as you, because many of them are in the same classes. With Facebook鈥檚 notification settings, you鈥檒l also know when someone posts something or responds to one of your questions.
3. Mentoring and Encouragement
With instructors involved in every Facebook group, you鈥檒l build relationships beyond the classroom.
鈥淸Facebook] has led to conversations and coaching sessions with students,鈥 Davis says. 鈥淚 have mentored several students and provided valuable tips, advice, and knowledge.鈥
At 好色先生TV视频, no two students are alike. Your background will vary greatly from your peers, some of whom will be younger with less work experience, some of whom will be older and, yes, wiser, especially when it comes to career moves. You can seize that opportunity to reach out to someone who鈥檚 been in your shoes 鈥 or knows what kind of shoes you鈥檙e looking to fill.
鈥淪tay engaged, it is essential,鈥 Davis says.
4. Stress Relief
Surely, by now, you鈥檝e come to know Facebook and other social networks as places where people go to vent their feelings or find something positive to lift their spirits. The UAGC Facebook groups are no different.
鈥淭o me, it鈥檚 like stopping in a coffee shop or a bar filled with friends, like the old TV show Cheers,鈥 Davis says. 鈥淵ou know once you are in, you are going to meet friends, students, colleagues, and get to see and read various posts.鈥
With UAGC Facebook groups available on any device or desktop, you can stop by anytime, adding to the flexible nature of pursuing an online degree at UAGC. After a long day at work or studying, having a place where 鈥渆verybody knows your name鈥 can be the perfect stress reliever.
With social media now a permanent part of your life, it鈥檚 easier than ever to connect with your fellow classmates, even if you鈥檙e thousands of miles apart. To join one of our private groups today, go to the and to submit a request to a moderator. You鈥檒l be connecting with like-minded students, alumni, and faculty in no time.
