From Face to Face to Face…book: New Methodologies for Using Facebook as a Teaching Tool

Abstract

Unlike traditional teaching methods (face to face, in which a plurality of individual interfaces with the physical shape of a teacher), the modern technological systems have sparked numerous innovations to improve teaching methods. You hear about blended learning: integrating various methodologies (traditional and innovative) to provide a new pedagogical style to students. An important platform to facilitate the learning of university activities is Facebook: since 2004, the most popular social network in the world, with about one billion active users. In recent years, however, it has also been recognized as a useful e-learning platform. Thanks to Facebook, benefits of learning are associated to a better communication among students, a better access to resources and a better management of logistics courses. The social network involves students using technologies which are familiar to the new generations: There is an increasement of interactivity and collaboration, flexibility and networking. We must of course pay attention to the critical issues arising from the dangers of stalking, distractions, lack of privacy, but the advantages of a greater access to information, a better way to analyze researching capabilities and many other advantages make Facebook a new and important frontier for modern teaching. Keywords: