Facebook use in the learning environment: do students want this?

The Net Generation (those born in or after 1980) rely heavily on ICTs for social and professional interactions, and it has been suggested that they have the expectation that technology will be an integral part of their education. At the same time, it is argued that Facebook has educational potential...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Learning, media and technology media and technology, 2013-09, Vol.38 (3), p.345-350
Main Authors: Prescott, Julie, Wilson, Sarah, Becket, Gordon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
College Students
Computer Mediated Communication
Educational Technology
Facebook
Foreign Countries
formal learning
Informal Education
informal learning
Information Technology
Nursing Education
Online Surveys
social integration
Social Networks
Social Work
Student Attitudes
Student Surveys
United Kingdom
Web Sites
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Summary:The Net Generation (those born in or after 1980) rely heavily on ICTs for social and professional interactions, and it has been suggested that they have the expectation that technology will be an integral part of their education. At the same time, it is argued that Facebook has educational potential, and that today's learners should be encouraged and supported to use Web 2.0 technologies for learning in formal education. However, there is growing evidence that the value of Facebook in the educational context does not relate to formal learning at all, but to the 'social networking' elements of the site. This Viewpoint article discusses the results of a study to explore students' views towards the use of Facebook in the university setting, especially with regard to learning and integration into university life. The findings suggest support for informal rather than formal learning use of Facebook within the university setting.
ISSN:1743-9884
1743-9892
DOI:10.1080/17439884.2013.788027