Moving Participation beyond the Classroom: Who Benefits from Online Social Communities?

Abstract

The proliferation of social media, especially among traditional higher education students, leads many advertising educators to Facebook and other social media platforms to engage their students. This study examines student participation in a traditional face-to-face classroom setting and compares it with a concurrent online social media community of the same students. It considers whether social media can enhance student engagement in subject matter discussions. Results indicate that students who were the most active in a traditional classroom setting were also the most active in the accompanying digital community. While personality traits like extraversion may influence participation in both settings similarly, the authors conclude that student interest in subject matter may also play a critical role.

Social media-enhanced learning in a small island developing states (SIDS) setting

“…The current study thus aims to investigate the aspects of participatory learning culture generated by social media, that is, the participatory roles adopted by learners on social media platforms. The aim of this study is further supported by the increasing trend of social media-enhanced learning among tertiary level learners, as they are exposed to new media technologies which complement their learning (Clayton et al, 2014). It is also interesting to note that while Internet adoption in developed nations is way ahead of emerging and developing nations (Wike and Oates, 2014), social media usage displays a different trend.…”

From Introducing the World Wide Web to Teaching Advertising in the Digital Age: A Content Analysis of the past Twenty Years of the Journal of Advertising Education

“…One of the most positive contributions that JAE has made to advertising education is exploring the place of technology in the advertising classroom. JAE has explored how Web 2.0 and 3.0 and user-generated content has changed advertising and how product-related information is communicated (Caravella et al, 2009;Clayton, Hettche & Kim, 2014;Eckman, 2010;Scovotti & Jones, 2011). With the advent of social media, JAE has explored the role of social networks in advertising education (Cronin, 2011;Eckman, 2010;Labrecque, Milne, Phelps, Peltier, & Thompson, 2011;Muñoz & Towner, 2010).…”