Towards an integration framework of social networks in e-learning pedagogy

With the pervasive relevance of Web 2.0 in all industries and particularly in education, an increasing body of literature on the theories and methodologies of learning through internet technologies has attracted scholarly pursuit over the last two decades.

The impact of Web 2.0 tools and proliferation of social networks have empowered the role of internet to encapsulate the effects from the use of these tools in education. Many studies have increasingly scrutinised the value and potential of social media for educational purposes, donating varying approaches to maximise the exploitation of social networks such as Facebook in enhancing teaching and learning. Social media offer unparalleled stimulating environment that can create enhanced learning experiences for students. Research studies suggest that learning and teaching process has been positively enhanced through fostered digital learning network of collaborators. Facebook with over a billion active users has rapidly gained the global social networking recognition and is favoured as the prime communication tool used by most students. Majority of educational research studies focus on most popular social media such as Twitter and Facebook emphasising their benefits. However, reviews of scholarly findings indicate the lack of literature on the implementation of Facebook alongside the e-learning podium at further and higher education sectors.

This research aims to describe an understanding of the role of social media in influencing student learning experiences at college and university IT courses. This thesis’s focus is based on a few years research, evaluating the findings from pilot studies, involving a series of computer supported cooperative learning and activity based learning styles through exploiting the functionality of social media. In the initial phase, the pilots were run simultaneously at both further and higher education on advanced level and undergraduate IT courses. A series of guidelines and recommendations on the use of Facebook as a complementary social learning network were emerged. In phase two, once more the pilots were replicated concurrently with a different set of participants. Additional findings and guidelines that support the original research hypotheses made by the researcher were identified.

This research suggests that students, who utilise social media alongside their coursework, demonstrate improved grades when compared with non-connected classmates. Student’s thoughtful reflection on learning content, peer feedback and the open communication afforded by social networks underpins robust peer relationships. Through the use of social media in the learning process, students are allowed to create and share newly acquired ideas and ways of working. Recent studies have provided some findings on general approaches to using social media in educational context.

The recommendation in this research study is that using guidelines for improved integration of social media enhances the efficiency of the teaching and learning process. Facebook still as the favourable social media offers abundance of potential at improving and accelerating informal learning. Nevertheless efficient integration of social networks such as Facebook as an informal learning platform necessitates close supervision alongside sets of rules and procedures for course delivery.

It is concluded that this thesis highlights the first steps towards understanding how social networks such as Facebook stipulate delivering a stimulating learning platform alongside the e-learning studies at college and university. However, future studies on how social networks such as Twitter and Facebook’s full pedagogical integration alongside e-learning platforms could influence the learning experience of students and also further evaluation of other elements affecting social media’s full integration in e-learning environments will remain to be investigated.

Furthermore, future research studies would explore potentials of Web 3.0 and semantic web in e-learning platforms by studying the possibilities of mobile smart mobile technology, collaborative intelligent filtering and 3D Visualisation / Interaction agents. Currently there is a lack of systematic guidelines on creation of Personal Learning Environments in particular within the Web 3.0 environment. Future research studies could focus on creation, adaptation and evaluation of Personal Learning Environments integration within the social semantic web for enrichment of e-learning 3.0 environments. Furthermore, future work could focus on data mining; case based reasoning and specialised fields such as AI and algorithms in creation of learning platforms that will process how students learn in order to optimise learning efficiency by recommending mentors and study materials against individual student’s learning needs.