students' use of facebook groups for peer to-peer learning
DESCRIPTION
Paper presentation for Networked Learning Conference 2014. The presentation shows findings from an empirical study of five non-institutional Facebook groups created and managed by students in Danish upper secondary schools. The study rejects the claims that students do not wish to use Facebook for school-related activities. The empirical study demonstrates that students are using Facebook groups to help each other with all kinds of school-related matters, including issues relating directly to academic subjects. Based on the findings from the study, the paper concludes that there is an educational potential of Facebook groups in supporting peer-to-peer learning between students.TRANSCRIPT
Students’ use of Facebook for peer-to-peer learning
Christian Dalsgaard, associate professor @chrdalsgaard [email protected] Centre for Teaching Development and Digital Media Aarhus University Denmark
What are the educational potentials of Facebook groups?
Educational potentials of Facebook?
• Facebook as a Learning Management System
• Facebook for social integration
Study – upper secondary education
17 schools
182 teachers
2035 students
5 student Facebook groups
Learning Management Systems (LMS) vs.
Social media
Almost all the time Often Sometimes Rarely Never Don’t know
To what extent do you use LMS to communicate with your teacher?
To what extent do you use social media to communicate with your teacher?
Almost all the time Often Sometimes Rarely Never Don’t know
Almost all the time Often Sometimes Rarely Never Don’t know
To what extent do you use LMS to help or receive help from fellow students regarding homework?
Almost all the time Often Sometimes Rarely Never Don’t know
To what extent do you use social media help or receive help from fellow students regarding homework?
Students use LMS to communicate with teachers
Students rarely use LMS to help each other
Students rarely use social media to communicate with teachers
Students use social media to help each other
Student-managed Facebook groups
5 Facebook groups
Total 3139 posts
15018 comments
Average 1 post
4 comments per day
Categories of communication
Social posts not relating to school work • Social events in school • Social events outside school
Academic posts • Subject matter • Study technique • Administrative issues
Where are the materials for classical civilization?"
How do you define something in Maple?"
Where should we submit the math assignment?"
Biology is moved to Thursday"
The Danish lesson is cancelled"
How do you use sinus in Maple?"
What are the educational potentials of Facebook groups?
Facebook for peer-to-peer learning
Facebook is not only for social integration and non-academic communication
Students use Facebook groups to help each other with school work
Students take on the role of teachers and utilise Facebook groups for peer-to-peer learning
THANK YOU!
Christian Dalsgaard @chrdalsgaard