The effectiveness of social media as a learning tool was debated at an orientation ceremony at Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) on Wednesday.

Students, teachers and parents participated in the ceremony, which was held to welcome incoming students of Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD in management sciences, computer sciences, social sciences and media sciences, said a press release.

Parents and teachers opined that students use the internet and particularly social media for entertainment rather than knowledge. They said the young generation remain glued to Facebook and Twitter among other social networking sites for hours, thus wasting their precious time. They also complained that the use of social media has to some extent distracted students from studies, which is reflected in their declining grades.

The students argued that social media and other social networking websites have actively augmented their learning and expose them to numerous sources of knowledge. They said social media is proving to be the most effective channel of information for them which has broadened their vision and perception on a lot of important issues.