A presentation at the 2009 AECT/SICET Annual Conference in Louisville, Kentucky on October 29, 2009.
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Social Networking in E Social Networking in E - - Learning Courses: Learning Courses: Building Sense of Community Building Sense of Community Steve C. Yuen, Ph.D. Steve C. Yuen, Ph.D. Professor Professor The University of Southern Mississippi The University of Southern Mississippi [email protected][email protected]and and Harrison Yang, Ph.D. Harrison Yang, Ph.D. State University of New York at Oswego State University of New York at Oswego [email protected][email protected]
Transcript
Social Networking in ESocial Networking in E--Learning Courses: Learning Courses:
Building Sense of CommunityBuilding Sense of Community
Steve C. Yuen, Ph.D.Steve C. Yuen, Ph.D.
ProfessorProfessor
The University of Southern MississippiThe University of Southern Mississippi
What is a Social Network?What is a Social Network?
•• A social network is an online service for A social network is an online service for communities of people who share an interest communities of people who share an interest with one another to collaborate. with one another to collaborate.
•• A social network service focuses on building A social network service focuses on building online communities of people who share interests online communities of people who share interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Most social the interests and activities of others. Most social network services are web based and provide a network services are web based and provide a variety of ways for users to interact, such as evariety of ways for users to interact, such as e--mail and instant messaging services (Wikipedia).mail and instant messaging services (Wikipedia).
•• Build an online learning communityBuild an online learning community
•• Offer immersion in a foreign language Offer immersion in a foreign language
environmentenvironment
Sense of CommunitySense of Community
•• ““A feeling that members have of belonging, a felling that A feeling that members have of belonging, a felling that members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that membersfaith that members’’ needs will be met through their needs will be met through their commitment to be togethercommitment to be together”” (McMillan and Chavis, 1986, p.9)(McMillan and Chavis, 1986, p.9)
•• Research studies indicated that spirit, trust, sense of belonginResearch studies indicated that spirit, trust, sense of belonging, g, interactivity, common goals, shared values and beliefs, and interactivity, common goals, shared values and beliefs, and common expectations were the most essential elements of common expectations were the most essential elements of community community
•• Studies on online environments have indicated that the sense Studies on online environments have indicated that the sense of community could be created and supported through various of community could be created and supported through various interactive electronic media interactive electronic media
•• Sense of community could be enhanced among students in eSense of community could be enhanced among students in e--learning courses through pedagogical, social, managerial, and learning courses through pedagogical, social, managerial, and technical functions (Yang and Liu, 2008) technical functions (Yang and Liu, 2008)
A Case StudyA Case Study
•• Designed and developed two class social Designed and developed two class social
networking sites and then integrated them into networking sites and then integrated them into
two hybrid courses focusing on building a sense of two hybrid courses focusing on building a sense of
communitycommunity
•• PurposesPurposes
–– Obtain specific information about the process of the Obtain specific information about the process of the
social network instructional approach social network instructional approach
–– Investigate studentsInvestigate students’’ perceptions on the use of social perceptions on the use of social
networking on the sense of community in enetworking on the sense of community in e--learning learning
Research QuestionsResearch Questions
•• How could the researchers design and implement a How could the researchers design and implement a social networking site for teaching an online or hybrid social networking site for teaching an online or hybrid course?course?
•• How did students feel regarding the use of a social How did students feel regarding the use of a social networking site in learning?networking site in learning?
•• What were the effects of using a social networking site What were the effects of using a social networking site in a course on the sense of community among in a course on the sense of community among learners?learners?
•• Were there differences in the use of a social Were there differences in the use of a social networking site and the sense of community among networking site and the sense of community among different learners (age and gender)?different learners (age and gender)?
ParticipantsParticipants
•• 30 students enrolled in graduate classes from two 30 students enrolled in graduate classes from two
universities during the spring semester in 2008universities during the spring semester in 2008
•• The courses The courses werewere offered in a blended learning or hybrid offered in a blended learning or hybrid
formatformat
–– Course A Course A Seminar in ITSeminar in IT offered in a regular 15offered in a regular 15--week semester at week semester at
a state university in southern region of the U.S.a state university in southern region of the U.S.
–– Course B Course B IT Management in SchoolIT Management in School offered in an intensive 4 weeks offered in an intensive 4 weeks
format at a public university in Hong Kongformat at a public university in Hong Kong
•• The majority of participants in both courses were partThe majority of participants in both courses were part--
time intime in--service teachers who were pursuing a masterservice teachers who were pursuing a master’’s s
degree in educational technologydegree in educational technology
•• Both courses were taught by the same instructorBoth courses were taught by the same instructor
Design of Social Networking SitesDesign of Social Networking Sites
•• Ning was chosen as an online platform to create a class Ning was chosen as an online platform to create a class social networking sitesocial networking site
•• Allowed students to Allowed students to create their own profiles; upload create their own profiles; upload photos, audio, podcasts, and videos, create and join photos, audio, podcasts, and videos, create and join discussion groups, send messages and publish blogs and discussion groups, send messages and publish blogs and presentations presentations
•• Designed for private useDesigned for private use
•• Only class members in the course were invited to join Only class members in the course were invited to join the class social networkthe class social network
•• No guest or outsider was allowed to join and participate No guest or outsider was allowed to join and participate in the social network. in the social network.
ImplementationImplementation
•• Two social networking sites were designed and tested prior to thTwo social networking sites were designed and tested prior to the e beginning of class with each having a similar layout and identicbeginning of class with each having a similar layout and identical al features and componentsfeatures and components
•• Both courses were taught by the same instructorBoth courses were taught by the same instructor
•• Introduced social networking concept and the social networking sIntroduced social networking concept and the social networking site ite in the beginning of the course in the beginning of the course
•• Provided handsProvided hands--on demonstration on using the social networking siteon demonstration on using the social networking site
•• Invited students to join the social networking siteInvited students to join the social networking site
•• Required students to create a personal profile Required students to create a personal profile
•• Encouraged students to post personal media and personal blog, Encouraged students to post personal media and personal blog, podcasts, and videos related to the course content to the socialpodcasts, and videos related to the course content to the socialnetworknetwork
•• Held biHeld bi--weekly class discussions in the forum weekly class discussions in the forum
•• Encouraged students to form groups for other personal or class Encouraged students to form groups for other personal or class activitiesactivities
•• Completed a survey at the end of semesterCompleted a survey at the end of semester
Data Collection and InstrumentationData Collection and Instrumentation
•• A questionnaire was developed to evaluate the A questionnaire was developed to evaluate the
use of social networking in teaching and learning use of social networking in teaching and learning
and assess its effectiveness on the sense of and assess its effectiveness on the sense of
community among learnerscommunity among learners
•• The questionnaire consisted of 3 parts:The questionnaire consisted of 3 parts:
–– Part A Background Information (8 items)Part A Background Information (8 items)
–– Part B StudentsPart B Students’’ feedback regarding the use of social feedback regarding the use of social
networking site in teaching and learning (19 items)networking site in teaching and learning (19 items)
–– Part C Classroom Community Scale (CSS) developed Part C Classroom Community Scale (CSS) developed
by Rovai (20 items)by Rovai (20 items)
ResultsResults
•• Demographic profile of the participantsDemographic profile of the participants
–– 77% of participants were between ages of 25 to 3977% of participants were between ages of 25 to 39
–– 60% of them were female60% of them were female
–– 94% of them access the Internet with high speed 94% of them access the Internet with high speed
connectionsconnections
–– 90% of them had over 7 years of computing 90% of them had over 7 years of computing
experienceexperience
–– 57% of them had a Facebook account while only 57% of them had a Facebook account while only
33% used MySpace and 23% had a Xang or Ning 33% used MySpace and 23% had a Xang or Ning
accountaccount
StudentsStudents’’ Perceptions of the Use of a Perceptions of the Use of a
Social NetworkSocial Network
0.333.120.513.62My class social networking site allows me to find and share
educational resources.7
0.443.240.513.62My class social networking site allows me to hold forums to
discuss topics of interest.6
0.703.110.513.62My class social networking site allows me to share photos,
music, and videos.5
0.323.120.523.54My class social networking site allows me to pose questions to
the community.4
0.243.060.513.62My class social networking site allows me to personalize pages to
express individuality and creativity.3
0.333.120.513.46My class social networking site allows me to interact and build a
learning community.2
0.253.050.763.08I feel comfortable using the class social networking site.
Age and Gender DifferencesAge and Gender Differences
•• OneOne--factor analysis of variance was used to factor analysis of variance was used to
investigate the differences in studentsinvestigate the differences in students’’ age and age and
gender on their social networking experiences as gender on their social networking experiences as
well as their sense of communitywell as their sense of community
•• The results showed that no significant differences The results showed that no significant differences
were found in studentswere found in students’’ age and gender on their age and gender on their
social networking experiences as well as their social networking experiences as well as their
sense of community in terms of connectedness sense of community in terms of connectedness
and learning.and learning.
ConclusionConclusion
•• The approach of designing and integrating a class social The approach of designing and integrating a class social networking site into two courses were fun, worthwhile, networking site into two courses were fun, worthwhile, and positiveand positive
•• Students had positive experiences using a social Students had positive experiences using a social networking site in learningnetworking site in learning
•• Students found the class social networking site was userStudents found the class social networking site was user--friendly and gave them a sense of belongingfriendly and gave them a sense of belonging
•• Students felt more actively involved in the courses that Students felt more actively involved in the courses that use social networkinguse social networking
•• The class social networking site can encourage learnerThe class social networking site can encourage learner--center activities, provide collaborative learning center activities, provide collaborative learning opportunities, and promote knowledge sharingopportunities, and promote knowledge sharing
ConclusionConclusion
•• Using a social networking site in a class could Using a social networking site in a class could build a sense of community among learnersbuild a sense of community among learners
•• Participants in Course A had a stronger sense of Participants in Course A had a stronger sense of community in both connectedness and learning community in both connectedness and learning than participants in Course Bthan participants in Course B
–– The length of time using a social networking site in a The length of time using a social networking site in a class could be a factorclass could be a factor
–– Culture could play a role in a social networking since Culture could play a role in a social networking since Course A was taught in US while Course B was taught Course A was taught in US while Course B was taught in Hong Kongin Hong Kong
–– Recommended for further investigationRecommended for further investigation
