It started out as a way for college students to socially connect with each other. Then, it became a legitimate source for distraction or some well-deserved "time off" from all those intense study session. And now, Facebook is trying to actually become a study aide! Well, sort of.
A new Facebook app called Hoot.Me -- cleverly named after all those night owls still studying -- is trying to help you with your work by taking away all of Facebook's distractions. When you log onto Facebook with the app, it filters out all the silly status updates and uploaded pictures from the night before and just leaves you with useful information like what other students at your school are working on in real time. And if there are no appropriate updates of the sort, the student can join online study sessions that are happening outside of their school (even if he or she isn't Facebook friends with any of those students.)
Study sessions include group video conferencing, "smart chats," and a "my history" feature, which allows students to revisit concepts already outlined in past study sessions. Oh, and professors can use Hoot.Me too, utilizing the app for virtual office hours and video conferences for student projects.
To be honest, it all seems too good to be true -- and nothing like the way Facebook is currently used right now -- but we'll give this new app the benefit of the doubt. After all, it is free, so you might as well try it.
Do you think Facebook can actually be used as a study aide instead of a massive distraction?
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