THE USE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING BY STUDENTS AND STAFF IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Gunter Saunders and Federica OradiniOnline Learning Development

The University of Westminster Context

• 22,000 students• Many international, mature or part-time• Emphasis is on face to face delivery/learning• Searching for the best way to use technology• Blackboard is used extensively• Very tutor centred

ConnectDemocratic but still governed by rules

User led Normally not linked to assessment

Facilitates community building

Introduction to Connect

Factors Driving Development

• Supporting students prior to arrival• Students’ Union

– Clubs, societies, broaden SU reach• Quality assurance

– Student representatives• Giving users control• Potential in learning/support• Enthusiasm of change agents

What is Connect? • Create your profile, add your

picture and your interests • Add friends to your site

Create Presentations (ePortfolios)

• Customise the look and feel of your site

• Find people with common interests • Create Private and Public communities

• Send messages to your friends and communities

• Publish content through the blog tool

How has Connect been used?• Communities

– Based around interests e.g. Film, cats, wine– Activities e.g. Football, Cricket– Student led learning e.g. Visual culture group– Staff led learning e.g. Giving presentations,

homeopathy– Strategy development e.g. Library review

• Personal blog– Some reflective e.g. on university life– Academic subject based– Seeking contacts, information, solutions

Student versus staff use of Connect• Staff

– Fewer staff kept blogs compared to students– Frequency of blog posts per head was greater– Used mostly as an online reflective diary– Linked to their job or subject being taught

• Students– Blogged more for contacts and to get information– Tended to own fewer communities– More students created detailed profiles

Student views

• Students positive about Connect:– Saw Connect serving a different purpose to FB– They wanted their tutors to be involved– Wanted to separate university/private life– They wanted integration with the VLE– To have their own space linked to their studies

• Students negative about Connect– See Connect as another Facebook

Student videos

Staff views

• Large majority believe it can help students to build a community prior/after arrival

• Many think it has a role to play in learning and teaching• Some would keep a blog about research and sharing of best

teaching practice• Some would keep a blog for their subject • Many think should be linked to Blackboard

Staff videos

Future Vision

is Westminster’s online social network where you can make friends, find out the latest news from UWSU clubs and societies and meet like minded students. Go to http://connect.wmin.ac.uk and log-on using your University username and password.

http://connect.wmin.ac.uk

Photo used under a Creative Commons licence. http://flickr.com/photos/throughhislens/508671414