Facebook: Social or Learning Communities

Steve Woodward, Haydyn Blackey & Simon Jones

CELT (Centre for Excellence in Learning & Teaching) – a central unit

• Existing literature (narrow, but growing interest, because students use it so much)
  • Most relatively negative – we don’t want tutors poking their noses into our social space. (Jones, Blackey et al, 2009, p776)
  • Few use it for educational tasks, so do we need to respect that student want a separate work/social space (Ophus & Abbitt, 2009, p645)
  • Some institutions – tried to come up with bespoke versions – creating own student-social networks… (recognisably institutional and therefore controllable) e.g. Elgg or Ning – many log on once and decided that Facebook does it better. (Orandini & Saunders, 2007)
  • Learning – changing to be more of a community based activity, importance of informal learning (cop, personal networks) (Siemens, 2004)
  • Combinations work better… (Garrison & Vaughan + 2 other authors)
• Outline methodology
  • Ethnography – 360 learners, formal/informal FB mediated interactions to see how impacts on student learning experience. Anthropology & Human Geography.
  • Steve Jones Facebook page – 2006, still has alumni engaging with him. Able to give temporary access to prospective students. Personal account, but also a closed ‘Geography at the University of Glamorgan’ group. Share thoughts, photographs & advice on the course. Won’t apply a heavy hand to moderation (is spelt out on the site).
  • Group used for
    • Guest Lectures – set up events, invite students – events outside the normal university timetable. Student support – office hours? Make it easier to get hold of them…
    • Putting up video clips/photos, popular! Using tagging facility, not only names, but tagging e.g. flora & fauna, etc. Becomes a learning resource.
    • Messages & Chat = are particularly useful. Students rarely use formal university email system. Chat = quick Q&A sessions with the tutor. 2 way thing – he may initiate chat as well as them. Sent messages useful for more indepth… can reply directly through Facebook or ‘use more appropriate means’.
• Discoveries
  • Very important that no student comment was banned – useful for uni to know what students are thinking (what they don’t like, etc.) – far too many are afraid to hear it.
  • Keep the momentum going by giving titbits of information. Students know to use chat rather than emails… but being part of that community – not a gatekeeper of information, but a provider of information.
  • The moderating role… Immediacy of information – e.g. the volcano ash – can steer students to MORE effective websites. Using site where they are anyway… Great use for marketing – prospective students – can chat with current students, see the photos of field trips – that confidence = pays well. Pastoral care – no formal tutorial system.. discreet method of communication – get to hear some of the issues – are a gatekeeper to the solution.
  • Downsides – ?
  • Students liked immediacy of communication, especially when not on campus
  • Possible to chat re coursework that’s been given out, keep up to date with events, and view pics from field trips.
    • Students – wanted to keep separate, didn’t want tutors to know what they’d been doing, didn’t see what couldn’t be done via email. Worried tutors would be passing judgement on non-learning activities. “Delicate Balance”
    • Encourage stronger relationships & trust. Easiest way to communicate, especially out of hours, embarrassing photos or negative comments = a tension, but not the lecturer’s fault. If overhear ‘bad’ = like hearing conversation in student union, unless urgent…
• Future directions
  • Can’t develop an overarching pedagogical model, but individual academics, need to make informed judgements in consultant with their students.
  • Important to show that despite all the negative literature, here’s a clear example of what has worked…
  • http://celt.glam.ac.uk
• QUESTIONS
  • Can be in a group without being friends – removes many of those worries?
  • What about the worries about available 24-7?! This is an outstanding case – not many actually using it – available through FB in normal working hours… Need to set up expectations at the beginning of the course.
  • Tutor is not a great fan of the VLE, just uses for uploading resources.
  • 360 active users & growing. 85% alumni. Define participation… (talk to Simon)
  • What would he do retrospectively? Problems of being field trips (what occurs on tour stay on Facebook!). Needs to be sense of trust between students & tutors.
  • Another delegate, set up group 6 months ago, would concur with what has happened. Has set up a separate login as a tutor, separate from personal!
  • TO SUM UP: You can do it. Evidence here is it is possible to use it…