The network society and higher education

This paper discusses the positioning of higher education in the information or so-called network society. As part of a broader PhD research into media literacy and the success of students in higher education, this theoretical disquisition submits links between information problem-solving skills (IPS-skills), students’ success, social media and the position of student’s assignments and higher education in society. First, I'll explain by using pedagogical theories, that when researching students’ success in higher education in contemporary society, it is important to know why and how students use social media. Secondly, the necessity of IPS-skills is discussed along with the challenges and difficulties. Not only the skills of searching for reliable and useful information are addressed but also the construction of the Internet and the way a part of the Internet works, is discussed, in particular the filter bubble. Thirdly, with the use of the network theory, the role of social media (in the present case: Facebook) in higher education is analysed. Ultimately, this paper complements the pedagogical theory on students’ success in contemporary society. Furthermore, distinguishing education as a distinctive field within the network society will tighten the network theory.