Current Literature Summary

Researchers and practitioners speculate that the Net Generation of students learn in a way that is fundamentally different than previous generations due to their early exposure to social media technologies. Social media provides multiple opportunities to add a new dimension to the learning process. By using social media, learners have the ability to manipulate their learning environment; thereby, actively engaging in the learning process. Learners may connect formal and informal learning processes using social networking sites. Social media has the potential to facilitate self-directed learning, which is an important skill for today's learners given the immediate availability to ever changing information resources. We will provide brief synopses of current research on social media and its impact on education and discuss possible applications to athletic training.