The Usage of Social Networks In Educational Context

Sacide Güzin MAZMAN, Yasemin KOÇAK USLUELHacettepe University, Faculty of Education Department of Computer

Education and Instructional TechnologyTURKIYE

Problem

• Possible advantages of technology in educational context required the defining boundaries of formal and informal learning.

Formal learning

Informallearning

• Increasing opportunity to ubiquitous learning by technological support has revealed a question;

• How to discover the potential of individuals in the spontaneous environments such as social networks?

Problem

• While social networks have been adopted and being used extensively all around the world, it is notable that they are not adopted in the educational field as much in other fields.

Problem

Purpose of study

Proposing a new model that could determine factors which effect adoption of social networks to use in educational context.

Social Networks in Educational Context

A common space forShared interests, needs and goals CollaborationKnowledge sharingOnline and offline interactionVisual / Verbal communication

Social Networks in Educational Context

Support both the virtual and real social worlds. Solution to limitations of learning management

systems (LMS) with social communication and personal profile tools.

• Positive relations between students-teacher and students-students by creating more cordial environments.

Social Networks in Educational Context

• Provide engaging two-way experiences for users, “prosumers” of the multimedia content

Consumer+Producer

• Web-based multimedia and distribution tools incorporatingRich audio (Podcasting, Skype) Photo (Flickr) Video (vodcasting, YouTube, Stickam)Networking (Facebook, Myspace)

Social Networks in Educational Context

•Need to expand vision of pedagogy that learners are;Active participantsCo-producers of content rather than passive consumers•Learning is a process;

Supporting personal life goals and needs Participatory Social

Social Networks in Educational Context

•Emerging informal e-learning domain is receiving greater attention because of the widespread utilization of social networking technologies.

•Informal learning; Unplanned and spontaneous Information is being acquired implicitly Open for the participation of everyone Learners’ direct self-control

Social Networks in Educational Context

Adoption of Social Networks in Educational Context

• While social networks have been adopted and being used extensively by many people, it is notable that they are not adopted in the educational field as much in

other fields

• Models and theories about diffusion, adoption and acceptance of innovation could be grouped under two folds;

1. Based on socio- physiological contexts and investigated adoption of innovation at the individual level focused on internal decision processes

2. Focused on features of innovation and its examined spread among users in a system

Adoption of Social Networks in Educational Context

Adoption of Social Networks in Educational Context

Proposal Model For Social Network’s Usage in Educational Context

Social Network Social Network UseUse

InnovativenessInnovativeness

Social FactorsSocial Factors

Ease of UseEase of Use

UsefulnessUsefulness SubjectiveSubjective Norm Norm

ImageImage

Facilitating Facilitating ConditionsConditions

Community IdentityCommunity Identity

As students can; share information, idea, documents and homework

in a very short time, communicate effectively and quickly access universal resources participate in groups and form new groups collaborate with people all around the world

Proposal Model For Social Network’s Usage in Educational Context

As students can easily; use social network features upload and download files, pictures, videos organize their profiles communicate and collaborate

Proposal Model For Social Network’s Usage in Educational Context

Proposal Model For Social Network’s Usage in Educational Context

As social networks; contain social activities include very different people with their social norms different groups with their subjective cultures

Proposal Model For Social Network’s Usage in Educational Context

As social networks are; relatively new environments different form other communication environments require taking risk to try

Proposal Model For Social Network’s Usage in Educational Context

As social networks provide; opportunity to constitute an identity in virtual

environment coming together with people have common interests,

needs and expectations forming new communities around common goals

Proposal Model For Social Network’s Usage in Educational Context

As social newtorks provide; publishing profile information displaying comments, photos and status for public

Proposal Model For Social Network’s Usage in Educational Context

As, people in social network environments, feel a social pressure face with other’s views and opinions adapt with others

Proposal Model For Social Network’s Usage in Educational Context

As in social networks, people need; help from friends, teachers and others support services resources and help menu

Conclusion

• Students needs and expectations also undergo a change with technologic developments.

• Education styles have became important in providing students to; participate actively communicate in a flexible environment share information universally personalize education and environment learn independently from time and place

Conclusion

• It is supposed that effectiveness will be increased when social networks, one of the emerging technologies, start to be used actively and reasonably in the educational field.

Conclusion

• In further researches this model can be tested and verified.

• Researches can examine different potential constructs as

motivationsatisfaction interaction social presence