Pamela L. McGimpsey
Lenoir-Rhyne University
The role of online learning in the
instructional design of course development continues to be a subject of
extensive interest and research. Numerous
studies have found students appreciate the flexibility, convenience, and that level
of classroom anonymity afforded to the online learner. As technological advances make the delivery
of learning management systems like Blackboard, Moodle, and Canvas easier to
navigate for instructor and student, these virtual learning environments are no
longer the only platform for online learning.
Social media’s Facebook and Twitter are now being considered to become
part of the realm of online teaching because it encourages active participation
and relationship building.
The
Role of Social Media
Fitting into the mold for the
constructivist approach for teaching and learning social media presents a setting
for individuals not only to chat about a favorite activity, but it can also
provide a stage that supports the online learning community. Whittaker (2014) led a preliminary study into
the success of Facebook as a “closed group” community of 44 students enrolled
in an undergraduate Animal Science degree program that also required compulsory
face-to-face learning activities.
Five
themes emerged from the data gathered: other, course content query,
administrative query, problem solution, and joke. Of those themes problem solution had the
largest number of responses with 40% being from the administrator answering a
direct question, or providing guidance to where additional information could be
found. Students posted 60% of the responses
in support of each other. A student
posting example: “At the end of the day
a power calculation requires an indication of the type II error that’s
acceptable. Generally you would find a
common acceptable type II error would be 20% so requires a power of 80%”
(Whittaker, 2014, p. 142).
In
2011, Tay and Allen argued “it is the particular pedagogic application of
social media – not the technology itself – that will lead to a constructivist learning
outcome. Whereas social media might afford us possibilities for collaboration, shared
content creation, and participation in knowledge building, those possibilities need
to be actualized through the effective integration of social media into learning
environments” (p. 156). Stated simply,
social media becomes part of the complimentary pairing with the contemporary
learning management system that allows students to collaborate while working as
individuals.
The
140 character world of Twitter can also build an educational support community
as Feliz, T., Ricoy, and Feliz, S. (2013) found as they investigated the use of
Twitter as a resource to develop a learning community. A total of 39 people participated in the research
ranging in ages between 21 and 50; all with very different backgrounds, training,
and experience. Though students overall generated
a large number of tweets, most tweets originated from the younger study
participants.
Older
students (age 41-50) and those aged between 31 and 40 showed a lower level of
participation. This agrees with the
findings of another study (Espuny, Gonzalez, Lleixa, and Gisbert, 2011), which
noted that knowledge of social media increases as age decreases. Moreover, in the present research it was
found that the students with the worst academic results tended to show lower
participation in the Twitter social network.
Occupation does not; however, seem to have an influence on the level of
participation. (Feliz et al., 2013, p. 212)
Rutten,
Ros, Kuijpers, and Kreijns (2016) found for students in pre-vocational education
that when compared with virtual learning settings social network sites “offered
a stronger environment for practicing online career skills, but students do not
show more online career behavior in these environments” (p. 140). While the authors admit the findings of this
explorative study has limitations the end result of student engagement with
social media being accepted as a learning platform is an outcome that illustrates
“how different digital environments can be used effectively in schools to teach
students how to use an SNS for career purposes” (Rutten, et al., 2016, p. 149).
Conclusion
Available
literature on the topic of social network systems and the role they currently
play in online learning is limited. Each
article researched for this literature review closed with the same
synopsis. Social media paired with learning
management systems can be a complimentary integration of a hybrid learning
platform generating a student community that will serve to positively enhance
the educational experience for learners and instructors. Additional research is necessary to study the
long term impact of social networks on online learning.
References
Feliz, T.,
Ricoy, C., Feliz, S., (2013). Analysis
of the use of Twitter as a learning strategy in
master’s learning. Open Learning, 28(3), 201-215.
Tay, E., Allen,
M., (2011). Designing social media into
university learning: technology of
collaboration or collaboration for
technology. Educational Medial
International,
48(3),
151-163.
Rutten, M., Ros,
A., Kuijpers, M., Kreijns, K., (2016).
Usefulness of social network sites for
adolescents’ development of online
career skills. Educational Technology
& Society,
19(4), 140-150.
Whittaker, A.
L., Howarth, G. S., Lynn, K. A., (2014).
Evaluation of Facebook to create an
online learning community in an
undergraduate animal science class.
Educational
Media International, 51(2), 135-145.
