Using social networking services to support learning

Abstract

Social media tools are increasingly being used in education, providing students with a medium in which they can actively engage with each other and with their teachers, co-create knowledge, share experiences, work and learn collaboratively. Learning implies not only access to information but also access to other people; in this context, social networking services (SNS) appear well suited for educational use, since they offer social space for people to gather online and make connections. The paper provides an overview on the use of these SNS to support learning. Two approaches are summarized: i) the pedagogical repurposing of existing popular SNS (i.e., Facebook); ii) the design of dedicated educational SNS. The latter is illustrated in more detail with the Lintend platform, a system conceived and implemented by the authors. A critical perspective is also included, and future research directions are drawn from it. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.