There isn’t any doubt that Facebook (FB) has become a powerful social media tool of recent times. But have you ever thought that this popular social network can be used as an e – learning platform to disseminate knowledge?
The world today is rapidly progressing on the road to utilization, with the ever-increasing number of technical applications that are used to communicate, keep in touch with our friends as well as to share information. Facebook is one such tool although it is not created as an educational means. Nevertheless, the nature of FB enables the enhancement and support of e -learning, as it makes it particularly easy for the audience not only to connect and build relationships with their virtual teachers, but also to exchange e – learning material.
In such a context, the Leo Club of University of Colombo, Faculty of Science has taken a great initiative to share education materials, particularly for mathematics, for students facing the GCE Ordinary level examination this year. With the disruption of academic activities of students due to the Covid-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka, “E – Sipsara” was proposed as a part of their ongoing “Sipsara” educational workshop series that are being conducted for students in rural schools.
Educational material related to Mathematics are being uploaded to their Facebook page; Leo Club of University of Colombo Faculty of Science, so that students are provided with an educational guide while they are at home. These include short notes, model question papers, described answers for selected questions and notes on easy and quick methods of solving mathematical problems. Moreover, they have also made arrangements for students to access the Leos via the e-mail address; [email protected], so that the students can present their questions and queries regarding subject matter. The students can send photographs of their answer scripts for the model question papers uploaded, to the same e-mail address and they are being corrected by Leos and submitted back to them.
Given the rapid developments in e-learning and technology-enhanced education, hope this initiative will be for the greater good to ensure its ongoing relevance in light of future.
Vishmitha