Introduction
Today’s students live in a world that is centered on technology. This technology has opened the door to a plethora of social media networks. Social media has been defined as internet-based applications that allow people to interact with each other by creating, sharing, and exchanging information. Social media is dependent upon mobile and web-based technologies that create interactive platforms for this exchange (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010). Students engage in the use of social media such as Twitter and Instagram to communicate with their friends and for entertainment purposes. However, social media also has a place in the field of academic instruction.
The History of Facebook
Facebook is an online social networking service. It was founded in 2004 by a group of Harvard University students: Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Christopher Hughes. The site was created originally to assist Harvard students adapt more easily to university life. The success of the site inspired Zuckerberg and his colleagues to extend membership opportunities. Within the first month of its existence, membership to Facebook opened to all the Ivy League institutions. Three months later, membership opened to all American and Canadian colleges and universities. By September 2005, a version was created for high school students. Presently, anyone above the age of 13 is eligible to join Facebook (Carlson, 2010).
Facebook Capabilities
Facebook membership is free to anyone over the age of 13. Members have the ability to create personal profiles. These profiles contain as much or as little personal information as the person chooses to post. Along with personal profiles, group or event pages can also be created. Once the profile has been created, members are able to communicate with each other either by posting comments on their individual page, sending private messages, or engaging in an online chat session.
In addition to communicating with other members, Facebook has the capability to be used as an entertainment venue. A plethora of games and entertainment activities are available for members. These activities are both individual and interactive. For example, with Facebook members can engage in a version of the game of Scrabble. The site also offers members the opportunity to follow their favorite entertainers, politicians, and news events.
Facebook as an Instructional Tool
It was never the intent of Zuckerberg and his colleagues to have Facebook used for instructional purposes, yet it does have potential for meaningful teaching and learning opportunities (Wang, 2013). As an instructional tool, teachers have the ability to engage their students in class forums. The forums provide an opportunity for students to communicate with their classmates. In such forums, reading groups or study groups can be formulated. The creation of a class pages aids in keeping students informed and current on assignments and due dates.
Facebook was incorporated into a high school British literature class. Initially, the page created served as a class page where general class announcements were posted. The page developed as a communication tool, similar to the use of email, where students posted questions to the instructor. However, this forum provided all students with the opportunity to contribute to the different exchanges.
As different novels became the focus of instruction, both instructor and students were able to post links to other sites related to the content. For example, when studying A Tale of Two Cities, students posted links to other pages dedicated to the novel and the author. This added another dimension to the instruction provided in the classroom setting.
Conclusion
Today’s students are entrenched in social media. Providing an opportunity for them to use social media to enhance their instructional experience affords the students a new approach to learning. Employing social media as an instructional tool assists in making the experience relevant, offering a hands-on approach to individual learning. The use of social media promotes student engagement in the lesson, ultimately leading to a deeper comprehension of the course objectives.
References
Carlson, N. (2010). At last – The full story of how Facebook was founded. Business Insider. Retrieved from
http://www.businessinsider.com
Kaplan, A.M. and Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business
Horizons, 53(1), 61.
Wang, Q. (2013). Facebook as an educational tool. International Journal of Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments.
Retrieved from www.inderscience.com/info/ingeneral/cfp.php?id=2026
Today’s students live in a world that is centered on technology. This technology has opened the door to a plethora of social media networks. Social media has been defined as internet-based applications that allow people to interact with each other by creating, sharing, and exchanging information. Social media is dependent upon mobile and web-based technologies that create interactive platforms for this exchange (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010). Students engage in the use of social media such as Twitter and Instagram to communicate with their friends and for entertainment purposes. However, social media also has a place in the field of academic instruction.
The History of Facebook
Facebook is an online social networking service. It was founded in 2004 by a group of Harvard University students: Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Christopher Hughes. The site was created originally to assist Harvard students adapt more easily to university life. The success of the site inspired Zuckerberg and his colleagues to extend membership opportunities. Within the first month of its existence, membership to Facebook opened to all the Ivy League institutions. Three months later, membership opened to all American and Canadian colleges and universities. By September 2005, a version was created for high school students. Presently, anyone above the age of 13 is eligible to join Facebook (Carlson, 2010).
Facebook Capabilities
Facebook membership is free to anyone over the age of 13. Members have the ability to create personal profiles. These profiles contain as much or as little personal information as the person chooses to post. Along with personal profiles, group or event pages can also be created. Once the profile has been created, members are able to communicate with each other either by posting comments on their individual page, sending private messages, or engaging in an online chat session.
In addition to communicating with other members, Facebook has the capability to be used as an entertainment venue. A plethora of games and entertainment activities are available for members. These activities are both individual and interactive. For example, with Facebook members can engage in a version of the game of Scrabble. The site also offers members the opportunity to follow their favorite entertainers, politicians, and news events.
Facebook as an Instructional Tool
It was never the intent of Zuckerberg and his colleagues to have Facebook used for instructional purposes, yet it does have potential for meaningful teaching and learning opportunities (Wang, 2013). As an instructional tool, teachers have the ability to engage their students in class forums. The forums provide an opportunity for students to communicate with their classmates. In such forums, reading groups or study groups can be formulated. The creation of a class pages aids in keeping students informed and current on assignments and due dates.
Facebook was incorporated into a high school British literature class. Initially, the page created served as a class page where general class announcements were posted. The page developed as a communication tool, similar to the use of email, where students posted questions to the instructor. However, this forum provided all students with the opportunity to contribute to the different exchanges.
As different novels became the focus of instruction, both instructor and students were able to post links to other sites related to the content. For example, when studying A Tale of Two Cities, students posted links to other pages dedicated to the novel and the author. This added another dimension to the instruction provided in the classroom setting.
Conclusion
Today’s students are entrenched in social media. Providing an opportunity for them to use social media to enhance their instructional experience affords the students a new approach to learning. Employing social media as an instructional tool assists in making the experience relevant, offering a hands-on approach to individual learning. The use of social media promotes student engagement in the lesson, ultimately leading to a deeper comprehension of the course objectives.
References
Carlson, N. (2010). At last – The full story of how Facebook was founded. Business Insider. Retrieved from
http://www.businessinsider.com
Kaplan, A.M. and Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business
Horizons, 53(1), 61.
Wang, Q. (2013). Facebook as an educational tool. International Journal of Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments.
Retrieved from www.inderscience.com/info/ingeneral/cfp.php?id=2026