Definition and Nature of Facebook

Facebook is a website and a tool for communication. It is a way of

communicating with people with one another. Facebook is an old famous website

and app that exist in the previous years until now. Millions of people are still

using it to communicate with people overseas. Its purpose is not limited to

communication, but it is also a way for people to post about their activities.

Facebook provides various entertainment platforms namely videos that are

known to the public. Timely news is also presented in the platform.

The primary purpose of employing the Facebook application is to

strengthen the bond despite the distance. It is observed that the existence of

media enables individuals to make friends all over the world, share ideas and

knowledge, search for others' opinions, and more. Media is not limited to simple

engagement and entertainment yet there are other uses that can be applied in

the application namely the trade of products, micro-blogging and could also be

used for promoting routines on the internet.

In this matter, Facebook provides benefits in terms of analyzing texts and

graphics displayed. According to Stefania Manca (2015), the function of

Facebook as education is as follows, formal use informal learning settings (FUF),

informal use informal learning settings (IUF) and use in informal learning settings

(UI). Facebook provides a larger scope in learning since its platforms include

critical reasoning. The platform serves as a forum for socializing within citizens. It

aims to highlight the options of how Facebook delivered these learning settings.
 In conformity with the journal by Stefania Manca (2016), states that

teacher guidance and forms of assessment are claimed according to degrees of

formality and informality. However, the applications still lack tools to further

assess the understanding of the students. Additionally, Facebook is still mostly

considered as an open alternative to traditional learning management systems

since most citizens already have their accounts. Hence, its diversity adapts

opportunities for people who can walk, see, and talk without difficulty.

The nature of using Facebook is that it empowers students. The idea of

Writing of the Self and Self-authorship explains much of the value in one's life.

Using student-created materials as the center of a lesson fits with a student-

centered pedagogy (McBride, 2009). Self-authorship activities and exercises

develop interest amongst students and enable them to finish their tasks on time.

They put students in a more active role in their own learning process (McBride,

2009).

The literature search identifies 147 articles are published in peer‐reviewed

journals. In this matter, individuals tend to utilize the use of social networking

sites (SNS) like Facebook and MySpace to engage with others. Social Media

applications as a forum for conversing with peers and other citizens establish

freedom of speech. As has been observed, the freedom of expressing one's

thoughts and assertions in media generates additional ideas. Likewise, timely

issues whether within the city or the country would be addressed.

 A statistical analysis concludes that the psychophysiological data and

pupil dilation indicates that the Facebook experience was significantly different

from stress and relaxation on many linear and spectral indices of somatic activity.

Moreover, it is observed that the somatic activity from utilizing Facebook serves

as a tool to relieve individuals from distress. With the variety of areas that are

provided by Facebook, the user consumes it’s time with ease and at the same

time enjoy it. The relaxation caused by the usage of the media generates

eustress.

The necessity of social interaction for everyone especially to the

differently-abled and elderly are being resolved provided by the tools that are

delivered by Facebook. Since their struggles are to be considered Facebook

offers the assistance of the since it comprises tools that would motivate

individuals to cope up with conversing. In relation to the idea of social interaction,

social network applications are causing individuals to change their ways of

communicating and working according to Kara McBride (2009).

As stated by a Mass Communication Journal by Sheldon Pavica (2008),

women were more likely to go to Facebook to maintain relationships, pass time

and be entertained. On the other hand, men were more likely to go to Facebook

to develop new relationships. In this regard, individuals have the potential in

socializing despite the change of setting. People can adjust their formality

depending on the purpose of utilizing Facebook. The current technology affects

factors yet by educating the right practices to individuals the issues are reduced.
 A study by Stefania Manca (2013) was then conducted to further analyze

the limitations when it comes to utilizing the Facebook app. The results show that

Facebook has only been partially implemented and that there are still many

barriers that may prevent the full adoption of Facebook as a learning

environment such as implicit institutional, teacher and student learning, and

cultural issues. Despite the result, the study provides suggestions in creating a

more diverse application wherein any field and institution can operate.

Facebook was part of the ' social glue ' that helped settle students into life

at university. Users believed Facebook was primarily used for social purposes,

not for formal teaching. There are tons of cases where some users take their own

private fights in Facebook which is very wrong. Some users tend to express their

strong surge of emotion in Facebook to release stress they have which can

greatly affect some other people resulting in disagreements and

misunderstandings towards one another.

Facebook as a known application since 2004 changes the ways and

practices of the individuals. It is observed that the new practices given by

technology made things easier to mobilize. Despite the negative feedback within

media, its sole purpose gives citizens ways to express themselves. The sole

challenge within individuals is to practice media and information literacy. In this

matter, citizens would be empowered with their knowledge yet would also

administer it with responsibility.

References:

Buzzi,M. Buzzi, M., Leporini, B., & Akhte F. (2010).Is Facebook really "open" to

all?.IEEE Explore. Retrieved from

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/5514621

Manca, S., & Ranieri,M. (2013). Is it a tool suitable for learning? A critical review

of the literature on Facebook as a technology‐enhanced learning

environment. Wiley Online Library. Retrieved from

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jcal.12007

Manca,S., & Ranieri,M.(2016).Is Facebook still a suitable technology‐enhanced

learning environment. Wiley Online Library. Retrieved from

https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12154Citations: 41

McBride, K.(2009). Social-Networking Sites in Foreign Language Classes:

Opportunities for Re-creation. Retrieved from

http://www.slu.edu/~kmcbrid8/McBride09_SNS.pdf

Pavica, S.(2008). Student Favorite: Facebook Motives and Use. EBSCO.

Retrieved from https://web.a.ebscohost.com