LIKE MOST teenagers and young adults, I too have a Facebook account. However having access to such a networking site has both advantages and disadvantages.
It is good for one to be active to some extent on Facebook as it is a means of communicating with friends and keeping tabs of what others, be they individuals or companies are up to.
However, when too much time is spent on a networking site, it can interrupt our daily routine and can become an addiction.
It is because of an interest or hobby like this that many students both in public and private institutions tend to get out of focus, but then again it is through such sites that lecturers and teachers are updating class notes, activities and lesson cancellations.
Currently, there are attempts to make it compulsory for students to have Facebook accounts, but I don’t see the reason why we should do so when our teachers or lecturers can easily provide instructions in class.
Recently a group leader from my class instructed us to form a Facebook group where we could go online to discuss about an assignment.
It may have been a good way to discuss the assignment but what about those of who do not have Internet access.
I really don’t get the satisfaction of doing assignments through a Facebook group.
This is because there is no real interaction and our team-playing skills are not tapped to the fullest.
For me using the Facebook as a learning tool is unnecessary, and has not added much value to our learning methods.
T. UTHAYAKUMAR Via e-mail
