Student-initiated Facebook sites: Nurturing personal learning environments or a place for the disenfranchised?

Title
Student-initiated Facebook sites: Nurturing personal learning environments or a place for the disenfranchised?
Publication Date
2018
Author(s)
Charteris, Jennifer
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1554-6730
Email: jcharte5@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:jcharte5
Parkes, Mitchell
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7226-023X
Email: mparkes2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:mparkes2
Gregory, Sue
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0417-8266
Email: sgregor4@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:sgregor4
Fletcher, Peter
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6605-471X
Email: pfletch2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:pfletch2
Reyes, Vicente
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Routledge
Place of publication
United Kingdom
DOI
10.1080/1475939X.2018.1507924
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/26503
Abstract
Facebook is social media that is ubiquitously used in higher education contexts by both staff and students. It provides a platform for student networking and expression. The authors illuminate how pre-service teachers in an Australian university, undertaking undergraduate units, use Facebook as a student-initiated social media community. Although an increasing number of research studies have investigated student use of social media in higher education, this is an under-theorised area. In particular, little has been written about the student-initiated use of Facebook as a commentary on the activities running simultaneously to formal online learning programmes in universities. Data drawn from 15 semi-structured interviews support an investigation into student Facebook use. Findings highlight that student-driven Facebook sites have a range of purposes and offer ever-present access to a relational community online, although this can sometimes be problematic. When emotional support is not forthcoming from academics or there is disenfranchisement in formal learning spaces, membership in student-initiated learning communities can afford immediacy, informality, influence and shared emotional connections.
Link
Citation
Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 27(4), p. 459-472
ISSN
1747-5139
1475-939X
Start page
459
End page
472

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