Social Media as a tool for increased student participation and engagement outside the classroom in Higher Education

Abstract

In recent years, the rise of social media networks and the potential they hold for Higher Education teaching and learning has not gone unnoticed by practitioners. There is now an increasing body of academic work that has set out to investigate the benefits that social media can have on the student learning experience. However, the vast majority of these studies have been carried out in American universities and largely focus on students enrolled in social science or science subjects. This study, building upon the findings of previous trials, sought to examine how social media platforms could be utilised to facilitate increased student participation and engagement amongst Humanities students at a British university. The project outcomes offered positive indicators about the potential that social media can hold for this form of learning, reinforced by the levels of interest and enthusiasm amongst students. Yet, the results also indicate that for social media to achieve its full potential, students need to be inculcated, nurtured and encouraged to engage with this form of learning.