Using Facebook in HE: An OU case study
Open Learning has released an early online article, " The use of Facebook to build a community for distance learning students: a case study from the Open University ". I've long wrestled with the concept of using social media in formal HE for a variety of reasons - but the format proposed by Callaghan and Fribbance works. I suspect their successful use of Facebook is based on three main characteristics: It's purposeful, and facilitated. It's optional. It's cross-programme, rather than intra-module (adding variety and scale). The authors concludes that "Using everyday technology to connect with students, remind them of sources of informal learning and nudge them to think about contemporary social science issues in a critical way, the Faculty Page would appear to make a contribution to overcoming isolation and creating an academic community". Their work is certainly proof-of-concept; as the authors add, however, more research as to the bene...