Tweeting and Friending in the Graduate Classroom: Can Social Media Work?

Abstract

The authors of this paper investigated the use of social media tools to enhance learning in the graduate classroom and created a dialogue about social media as educational tools. This paper examines some possible uses of social media tools like Twitter, Facebook, and Google Apps for mid-to senior –level government students. The design and methodology included looking for examples of social media tools in higher education; selecting faculty at the Information Resources Management College at National Defense University (NDU iCollege) to include these tools in their courses; and surveying faculty and students through focus groups and interviews. The authors found that social media tools may facilitate student collaboration but it must be purposeful and not complicated. Students reported they learned a lot about the tools but sometimes found the experience frustrating. Faculty members said that creating and using the tools was time consuming. Because social media are changing the way people interact with each other, the authors concluded that learning how to use them is an important skill for students of the NDU iCollege and social media may facilitate creativity among students and provide experiential learning for adult students. Further studies are necessary to show a cause and effect relationship.