Abstract
The author of this chapter explored the social capital knowledge regarding education in the following four theoretical contexts presented by Mikiewicz, the tradition of James Coleman's social exchange theory, the tradition of Robert D. Putnam's theory of civil society, the tradition of Pierre Bourdieu's theory of cultural structuralism, and the tradition of network theory. This chapter also presented the effective use of the research on social capital and the impact of technological innovations and online social capital on education. The author pooled literature from different parts of specializations, especially in education. It documented that co-creation and social learning are essential components of knowledge productivity; therefore, by working together and leveraging the power of social networks, individuals can achieve more than they ever could on their own, leading to profound improvements in organizational and societal outcomes.
TopMethodology
I thoroughly examined previous research published mainly in peer-reviewed journals about social capital and education. The databases used were Education Source, ScienceDirect, SAGE Journals, Taylor & Francis Online, and ProQuest Central. Education Sources and research reports from Google Scholars retrieved the highest number of relevant articles, so I searched that database to gather perspectives across various disciplines. I complimented the search by using the Yahoo search engine to locate articles using the exact keywords I used in the databases. The keywords and phrases used in the search included information and communication technology, ICT, digital media, Technological innovations, Online Social capital, Education, Digital Tools, Educational Technology, and Social Networking. Only articles that followed rigorous measures for research quality were considered for this review.
Digital tools, educational technology, social networking, and other emerging technologies have transformed educational systems worldwide. Understanding the impact of technological innovations and online social capital on education is critical to academic development in the 21st century. Social networks have expanded with digital technology in many disciplines, especially education. Teaching and learning have been transformed with the birth of the Internet, digital communication platforms, and social media. This transformation has enabled teachers and students to achieve much in critical times. Teachers could teach well, and students could learn effectively. The students and teachers could design, share information, and interact through websites, blogs, webinars, podcasts, social media sites, and smartphones. Teachers, students, and parents have connected in ways never before imagined. Social capital has enabled such connections and has contributed enormously to supporting educational innovation. Social capital refers to the networks, relationships, and norms facilitating cooperation and trust among individuals and groups. It is an intangible asset derived from social relationships and networks. According to Blessinger, Sengupta, and Meri-Yilan (2023), individuals and groups, including higher education, form networks and establish personal and professional collaborative relationships. They seek to collaborate with others because they can achieve personal and group goals in ways not possible to achieve alone (Blessinger et al. 2023). According to Blessinger et al. (2023), the benefits of these social networks in higher education include, among other things, sharing intellectual resources, co-development of knowledge, and joint research. Therefore, teachers and students often form networks because it serves their interests, and when their interests align, the relationships benefit everyone.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Social Capital: Social capital is about the value of social networks, bonding with similar people, and bridging between diverse people with norms of reciprocity.
Digital Tools: Digital tools are online platforms or software applications leveraged by businesses or individuals to perform quick and optimized functions that ordinarily could be difficult.
Online Social Capital: Online social capital is defined as accessibility to ties on an online network that promote networking and group norms.
Technological Innovations: Technological Innovation focuses on a product or service's invention or technological aspects.
Educational Technology: Educational Technology is the field of study investigating the process of analyzing, designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating the instructional environment, learning materials, learners, and the learning process to improve teaching and learning.
Social Networking: Social networking refers to using internet-based social media sites to connect with friends, family, colleagues, or customers.
Technology: The branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science.