Using Facebook as a co-learning community in higher education

Abstract

Students' cultural capital plays a major role in their success in higher education. In Sweden today, many students come from diverse cultural, social and educational backgrounds. Knowledge of requirements in academic systems differs widely. Some students feel insecure about how to interpret academic codes, thus weakening these students' opportunities for academic success. The major goal of this project was to lay the groundwork for a more equal educational system. Using social media, in this case conversations (e.g., chats) in a closed forum on Facebook monitored by a tutor, we aimed to improve student integration into academic culture. We differentiated two central themes related to student conversations on Facebook: (1) Access to academic habitus -cracking codes and (2) Emancipation by co-learning -extended academic codes. It was found that students participating in study groups created on Facebook learnt to better crack and extend the codes extant in university studies.

University students’ perceptions of social networking sites (SNSs) in their educational experiences at a regional Australian university

“…For example, in their study of 24 students participating in a closed Facebook forum, Cuesta et al (2015) found that forum participation enhances the understanding of academic culture and knowledge production of higher education students from diverse backgrounds. Ratneswary and Rasiah (2014) highlight Facebook's capacity to enhance teaching and learning in team-based environments by providing innovative ways of involving and motivating students.…”

“…Not surprisingly given its popularity, much research attention has been paid to Facebook (Cuesta, Eklund, Rydin, & Witt, 2015;Irwin et al, 2012;Kabilan, 2016;Madge, Meek, Wellens, & Hooley, 2009;Ratneswary & Rasiah, 2014;Santos & Cuta, 2015;Vivian, Barnes, Geer, & Wood, 2014). Manca and Ranieri (2013) conducted a literature review of 23 peer-reviewed articles focusing on Facebook as a learning environment to explore "the extent to which its pedagogical potential is translated into practice" (p. 487), explicating three themes: instructional efficacy; supportive and interactive learning tool; and students' reactions to Facebook as an instructional tool.…”

Content in context: analyzing interactions in a graduate-level academic Facebook group

“…Administrators can select settings that allow members to post directly to the group page. These combined set of features make Facebook groups an enticing option for those in higher education who wish to engage and foster interaction among a specific network of students (e.g., Bowman & Akcaoglu, 2014;Cuesta, Eklund, Rydin, & Witt, 2015).…”

Studerendes digitale læringsmiljøer: læringsplatform eller medieøkologi?

“…(Sørensen, 2017, s. 1) I international kontekst er der som Sørensen (2017) diskuterer divergerende syn på studerendes inkorporering af sociale medier i relation til deres studiepraksis. Mens nogle fremhaever fx Facebook, som meningsfuldt og relevant i de studerendes studiepraksisser (Aaen & Dalsgaard, 2016;Cuesta et al, 2015;McEwan, 2011), naerer andre bekymringer omkring sociale mediers egnethed i relation til uddannelse (Kirschner, 2015, Friesen & Lowe, 2012. Generelt synes der dog at vaere enighed om, at ideen om de studerende som selvdrevne og saerdeles kompetente digitale indfødte er problematisk og ensidig.…”