Using Facebook as a Teaching and Learning Platform

Christy Cheung (1)
Dimple Thadani (2, 1)

(1) Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
(2) City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

 

Abstract:

The high penetration rate of social networking sites (SNSs) among university students has recently drawn a lot of attention among educators. A number of studies have found that this new online communication platform exhibits great impact on students’ learning motivation, effective learning and engagement. It also creates an online social space where university students can build and maintain social capital with others, including instructors and fellow classmates.

In this presentation, we will illustrate how some of the unique features of Facebook (e.g., interest groups, fan pages, thread postings, multimedia and sharing features, etc) enhance students’ learning experiences. We will also discuss the challenges of using Facebook as a teaching and learning platform.