Transcript
Student Use of Facebook for Informal Learning and Peer Support
Elaine Garcia
Ibrahim Elbeltagi
Kerry Dungay
Some educator are interested…
• Argued to have positive effects on educational performance
• Enhances Social Capital – Bridging Capital– Bonding Capital
• Students can gain support, information and ideas from others
• Students can contact other students with questions
• Encourages student engagement on their terms
Some educators are disinterested…
• Students not using it can become isolated and / or ostracized
• Can make some students feel anxious and resentful
• Students can be resistant
• Can make students easily distracted
• Students have short attention spans
• Negatively associated with engagement in educational activity
Do students want Facebook formally in the classroom?
• Students are already making use of Facebook
• Invisible, complex and organic social networks are already being formed
• Is Facebook already playing a role in informal learning?
• Should it remain backstage?
• Facebook is now an integral part of University Social Life– Initially Social Glue– Part of negotiating learning process
• 81% of students have discussed an educational topic on Facebook but 59% state they wish to use Facebook for educational purposes
‘understanding how and why
students use the electronic social
network is important for
understanding how to build and
maintain relationships with
students and to increase retention
and success.’ (Amador & Amador, 2014)
Methodology
• Social Network Analysis using Gephi
• Plot the Facebook relationships between students
• Group of 90 Foundation in Art and Design students– One year course– Post A-Levels– Majority of students had not met previously
• Utilising publically available information
Conclusions
• There are complex, invisible and organic social networks being created
• Some students choose to interact and some do not
• Students using Facebook are more likely to attend, achieve and stay on the course
• Students do not build very diffuse networks. There is evidence of bridging capital however as they can reach across the network
• Students using Facebook extensively
Six degrees of Kevin Bacon
Me!Work with Alan Lemin
Alan LeminWorks with meWorked with Brian Blagdon
Brian BlagdonWorked with Alan LeminWorked with Alex Mackenzie
Alex MackenzieWorked with Brian BlagdonTaught Charles Dance
Charles DanceTaught by Alex MackenzieWorked with James McAvoy
James McAvoyWorked with Charles DanceWorked with Kevin Bacon
Kevin Bacon!Worked with James McAvoy
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Google “Bacon Number”
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