Email Updates RSS
Search
The Fight to Educate

Here to Combat Challenges Facing Education: Social Media

By IGI Global on Jul 10, 2013
Contributed by Kaitlyn Retherford, Marketing Assistant

Education in Africa - Anthony A. OlorunnisolaAccording to the 2012 UNESCO “Education for All” Global Monitoring Report, approximately 8.7 million children and adolescents in African and Middle Eastern countries are not making it into the classroom. Often times, even those who attend school are still falling behind in terms of the global standards for basic educational knowledge.

Schools are failing to teach students basic skills necessary to become successful citizens. In Tunisia, only 8% of 15 year olds score at a Level 2 in mathematics, while 1 in 5 young people in sub-Saharan African countries has never completed primary schooling. Most deterrents in education are a direct result of poor nutrition, remote location, and family instability due to poverty. The cruel irony is that the lack of essential transferrable competencies such as problem solving, critical thinking, and communication skills then create a barrier when young men and women struggle to find and secure work that will keep them above the poverty line.

Attempting to disrupt such detrimental social cycles is intimidating in a culture that has existed for thousands of years. Released last month, the IGI Global publication New Media Influence on Social and Political Change in Africa discusses the challenges such regions face, offering the implementation of information technology and social media to offer better educational opportunities for students. The publication, edited by Anthony A. Olorunnisola (Pennsylvania State University, USA) and Aziz Douai (University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Canada), addresses the development of new mass media and communication tools and their influence on social and political change.

Integrating social media platforms could be the answer to overcoming current educational challenges all over the world, resulting in a more knowledgeable and capable work force, and better economy. As reported in the 5th edition of the Arab Social Media Report, social media can establish opportunities for peer learning, key interactive communication, debate, active participation, and information sharing. By bridging the gap between students’ home and schooling settings, educators will be able to assist in extra-curricular and distance learning, making it possible for young people to have access to educational resources that may not otherwise be at their disposal.

Available as a part of the Advances in Human and Social Aspects of Technology Book Series (AHSAT), New Media Influence on Social and Political Change in Africa unlocks the potential of social media in improving social, political, and economic sectors in Africa, the Middle East, and all over the world. For related titles and research, view the Advances in Human and Social Aspects of Technology Book Series (AHSAT), a continually-updated collection of references dedicated to exploring the ways in which society and human beings have been and continue to be affected by technology.
Browse for more posts in:
EducationGovernment and LawSocial Sciences and HumanitiesBlended & Mobile LearningDigital Divide & Developing CountriesHuman Aspects of TechnologyArticlesBooks & E-BooksChaptersInfoSci-DatabasesMiddle East & Africa

No comments Comments

Log in or sign up to comment.
Be the first to comment!

More from IGI Global

Apr 18, 2024 Uniting Nations with Multinational Electronic Health Records to Stop Lassa Fever's Pandemic Threat!
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a surge in Lassa fever cases in Nigeria, emphasizing the urgent need for containment measures.
IGI GlobalRead More
Medical, Healthcare, and Life SciencesHealthcare Information SystemsBooks & E-BooksResearch Trends
Apr 16, 2024 IGI Global Announces the 2024 Journal Reviewers Award Winners
IGI Global congratulates the winners of this year's Journal Reviewer Award
IGI GlobalRead More
JournalsAwards & RecognitionOpen Access
Apr 15, 2024 What Defines Authorship and Who Should Be Included in a Manuscript’s Byline?
For decades, academic publishing has been plagued with discrepancies surrounding authorship of scholarly research...
IGI GlobalRead More
Books & E-BooksAcquisitions
Apr 15, 2024 Doody’s Selects IGI Global Books for Special Topics List
Two IGI Global publications have been recognized by Doody's for their excellence and niche topic focus.
IGI GlobalRead More
Medical, Healthcare, and Life SciencesMedia and CommunicationsBooks & E-BooksAwards & Recognition
Apr 11, 2024 Technology is Making Disparities Worse
Digital Inclusion Week underscored the urgent need for a national digital equity plan in the US due to disparities in internet access and digital skills.
IGI GlobalRead More
Apr 8, 2024 Nearly 90% of IGI Global’s Frontlist Books Now Indexed in Scopus
The majority of IGI Global's books Frontlist is now indexed by Scopus. Learn what this prestigious recognition means for the publisher and the experts behind these books.
IGI GlobalRead More
Books & E-BooksAwards & RecognitionReviews & Indexing
Apr 4, 2024 Navigating Neglected Maintenance and Safety Risks of Flight Travel
A United Airlines Flight 837 bound for Tokyo from San Francisco could not take off due to a mechanical issue.
IGI GlobalRead More
Business and ManagementComputer Science and Information TechnologyScience & EngineeringHospitality, Travel & Tourism ManagementAerospace EngineeringBooks & E-BooksResearch Trends
Apr 3, 2024 Introducing the New IGI Book Topic Brochures
IGI Global is excited to introduce a new initiative to provide detailed insights into various fascinating subjects. Our brochures offer a comprehensive overview of timely publications covering the latest research topics...
IGI GlobalRead More
EducationBusiness and ManagementComputer Science and Information TechnologySocial Sciences and HumanitiesBooks & E-Books
Apr 3, 2024 Interview with a Global Guru in Education
Hear from Dr. Velliaris, who was voted as a Top 30 Global Guru in Education.
EducationBooks & E-BooksInterviewAuthor News
Mar 29, 2024 Cocoa Prices Skyrocket
Cocoa prices surging to $10,000 per metric ton challenge chocolate manufacturers and consumers, risking supply chain stability and higher retail prices...
IGI GlobalRead More
Business and ManagementEnvironmental, Agricultural, and Physical SciencesSustainable DevelopmentBooks & E-BooksResearch Trends
First Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10  ... Next Last