Themes of Social Media
Social Media promotes
Communities of Practice
“As social networks continue to flourish, educators are using them as professional communities of practice, as learning communities, and as a platform to share interesting stories about topics students are studying in class” (Johnson, Adams Becker, Estrada, & Freeman, 2014).
A sense of community is a key element for successful e-learning (Hung and Yuen, 2010).
Hung and Yuen (2010) argue that learning is socially constructed and is best captured by situated learning theory. Situated learning theory shifts the view of learning from a cognitive process to a process of participating in the social world. As an example, the use of Twitter in higher education provides a medium for students to enhance activities within the classroom, seek answers and look for additional resources to classroom problems.
Marketing
Higher Education is using social media for “enhancing brand image” (Stoner, 2012). Colleges and universities these days are using social media for recruiting purposes as a part of a “multifaceted outreach strategy” (Cappex.com, 2010). Social media is also a medium for promoting events and activities, seeking financial support, maximizing student enrollment and alumni engagement. Visits to college and university websites show the state of the art social media tools that have been chosen by these institutions to attract students.
Communication
Social media is constantly transforming the way students communicate, collaborate and learn. (Klein, 2008; Roblyer, McDaniel, Webb, Herman, & Witty, 2010; Tess, 2013).
With the help of Twitter and other microblogging platforms, schools and universities are increasingly using backchannels in classrooms (Gabriel, 2011). This feature encourages students to voice their opinions uninhibitedly. In 2009, Purdue University developed Hotseat, a backchannel system, at a cost of $84,000. Hotseat enables students to post comments and questions, which can be read on laptops or smartphones or projected on a large screen. Students engage in “real time feedback” which makes it possible for instructors to revise content depending upon the comments received from students (Purdue Research Foundation, 2010).
Rodriguez (2011) explains that social media use in higher education has “changed the web browsing culture from passive to participatory” (p. 540) as students are actively engaged in publishing content and reviewing their peers’ work in an online environment. This is changing the flow of information from “unidirectional to multidirectional” (Grover & Stewart, 2010, p. 10-11) and defining a new learning prototype.
Social media helps to reduce isolation of rural schools (Couros, 2011).
Use of social media creates intercultural awareness in students (IBO, 2008).
21st century learning skills
Social media supports the development of 21st century learning skills (Partnership for 21st Century Skills)
Photo from Smiciklas (2009)
Communities of Practice
“As social networks continue to flourish, educators are using them as professional communities of practice, as learning communities, and as a platform to share interesting stories about topics students are studying in class” (Johnson, Adams Becker, Estrada, & Freeman, 2014).
A sense of community is a key element for successful e-learning (Hung and Yuen, 2010).
Hung and Yuen (2010) argue that learning is socially constructed and is best captured by situated learning theory. Situated learning theory shifts the view of learning from a cognitive process to a process of participating in the social world. As an example, the use of Twitter in higher education provides a medium for students to enhance activities within the classroom, seek answers and look for additional resources to classroom problems.
Marketing
Higher Education is using social media for “enhancing brand image” (Stoner, 2012). Colleges and universities these days are using social media for recruiting purposes as a part of a “multifaceted outreach strategy” (Cappex.com, 2010). Social media is also a medium for promoting events and activities, seeking financial support, maximizing student enrollment and alumni engagement. Visits to college and university websites show the state of the art social media tools that have been chosen by these institutions to attract students.
Communication
Social media is constantly transforming the way students communicate, collaborate and learn. (Klein, 2008; Roblyer, McDaniel, Webb, Herman, & Witty, 2010; Tess, 2013).
With the help of Twitter and other microblogging platforms, schools and universities are increasingly using backchannels in classrooms (Gabriel, 2011). This feature encourages students to voice their opinions uninhibitedly. In 2009, Purdue University developed Hotseat, a backchannel system, at a cost of $84,000. Hotseat enables students to post comments and questions, which can be read on laptops or smartphones or projected on a large screen. Students engage in “real time feedback” which makes it possible for instructors to revise content depending upon the comments received from students (Purdue Research Foundation, 2010).
Rodriguez (2011) explains that social media use in higher education has “changed the web browsing culture from passive to participatory” (p. 540) as students are actively engaged in publishing content and reviewing their peers’ work in an online environment. This is changing the flow of information from “unidirectional to multidirectional” (Grover & Stewart, 2010, p. 10-11) and defining a new learning prototype.
Social media helps to reduce isolation of rural schools (Couros, 2011).
Use of social media creates intercultural awareness in students (IBO, 2008).
21st century learning skills
Social media supports the development of 21st century learning skills (Partnership for 21st Century Skills)
Photo from Smiciklas (2009)