scholarly journals An empirical study of lecturers’ appropriation of social technologies for higher education

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suraya Hamid ◽  
Jenny Waycott ◽  
Sherah Kurnia ◽  
Shanton Chang
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Empirical Study ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Knowledge Construction ◽  
Online Social Networking ◽  
Construction Process ◽  
Educational Activities ◽  
Teaching Activities ◽  
Social Technologies

<p>The use of Online Social Networking (OSN) educational activities has become commonplace in today’s higher education. OSN enables lecturers and students to generate and share content, interact, and collaborate in the knowledge construction process. The pedagogical benefits of social technologies have been widely discussed. However, less is known about the processes that lecturers follow when integrating social technologies into their teaching activities. With the aim of developing a practical guiding framework, this paper examines the processes that lecturers have followed when appropriating social technologies for learning purposes. Based on interviews with fourteen Australian lecturers and sixteen Malaysian lecturers who have used social technologies, different processes of appropriation are explored. Drawing on the empirical findings, this paper proposes a framework that can be used to guide lecturers in appropriating social technologies systematically. The framework will be beneficial for lecturers seeking guidance to support the appropriation of social technologies for structured and formal use in higher education.</p><br />

A Framework for Knowledge Management in Higher Education Using Social Networking

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 44-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladlena Benson ◽  
Stephanie Morgan ◽  
Hemamali Tennakoon
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Online Social Networking ◽  
Student Life ◽  
Knowledge Resources ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Education Platform

Recent years show an increase in the popularity of online social networking among the younger generation that opens up possibilities for educators to use it as a higher education platform. The focus of this paper is to highlight some open research questions in the context of knowledge management in higher education with the use of online social networking. Analysis of current research reveals that social networking sites are a useful tool in teaching and learning as well as in employability and career management of students. However, research is limited in terms of the applicability of social networking sites in other parts of the student life cycle including lifelong learning. The possibility of using online social networking in knowledge management, particularly in the area of knowledge accumulation and knowledge sharing is yet to be properly addressed by researchers. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to draw attention to some implications of exploiting knowledge resources with online social networking for HE institutions.

Using a Design Research Approach to Investigate the Knowledge-Building Implications of Online Social Networking and Other Web 2.0 Technologies in Higher Education Contexts

2013 ◽  
pp. 1752-1775
Author(s):  
Cameron Richards
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Knowledge Building ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Online Social Networking ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Web 2.0 Technologies ◽  
Internet Users

Online social networking and related Web 2.0 technologies have taken the world of Internet users by storm in recent years. However beyond the use of blogs for reflective learning journals and University alumni pages on Facebook, there has generally been little integrated use of social networking tools in higher education. This chapter will explore how a design research approach may assist in not only recognizing but also developing the knowledge-building implications of a convergence between such tools and technologies on one hand, and also on the other constructivist approaches to related domains of learning, research and professional reflective practice in academic communities and contexts. The process of designing and developing an applied research problem and related central question or inquiry focus is approached in terms of two ‘design research’ proposals. One, it considers the idea that if a critical mass of both basic skills and actual usage could only be achieved by teachers, administrators and researchers then social networking has the potential to significantly and productively transform higher education. Two, it considers the idea that the key to achieving such a ‘critical mass’ in education contexts perhaps lies in designing meaningful contexts or purposes of interaction – that is, in linking the function of social networking to an appropriate design paradigm for using associated Web 2.0 tools. In this way the chapter will explore the requirements for a more effective harnessing of the exemplary possibilities of online social networking in higher education contexts.

Constructing Community in Higher Education Regardless of Proximity

2015 ◽  
pp. 163-179
Author(s):  
Karina R. Clemmons ◽  
Amanda L. Nolen ◽  
Judith A. Hayn
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Beginning Teachers ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Online Social Networking ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Global World ◽  
Diverse Cultures

In an increasingly global world where students are increasingly mobile and not bound by the same rules of proximity as before (Beckmann, 2010; Healey, 2008), it becomes critically important to understand how learning can take place and how community can be built through virtual communities. This chapter reports the results of a study that investigated whether preservice and beginning teachers involved in the dialogue of an emergent online social networking community engage in meaningful educational and professionally enriching experiences. The researchers specifically examined how online social networking in teacher education programs addresses issues related to: (1) the isolation students feel while in the field; (2) the lack of community and dialogue among students; (3) the disconnectedness between classroom knowledge and field experiences; (4) the limited reflective practices observed among novice teachers; and (5) the need to appreciate multiple perspectives and diverse cultures.

The Utilization of Online Boundaries

2014 ◽  
pp. 342-363
Author(s):  
Lewis A. Luartz
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Ties ◽  
Interaction Time ◽  
Online Social Networking ◽  
Network Ties ◽  
Social Networking Services ◽  
Types Of Information

This chapter investigates how online social networking services function and correlate with social capital, and how this affects higher education and civic engagement. First, the authors examine how individuals utilize Facebook to communicate with others strategically to build and maintain social ties. They argue that limiting in-person interaction time and multitasking increases the amount of individuals with whom any one individual can communicate during any given time. The authors then introduce direct and indirect boundaries and demonstrate how they restrict specific types of information while building extensive trust-based network ties. The authors follow this discussion by modeling the online world, offline world, and world of higher education using these boundaries. Finally, they claim that the distinction between low and high social capital communities may be blurring due to advent of online social networking, so it is necessary to develop new means of measuring social capital and boundaries.

The Utilization of Online Boundaries

2015 ◽  
pp. 1158-1178
Author(s):  
Lewis A. Luartz
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Ties ◽  
Interaction Time ◽  
Online Social Networking ◽  
Network Ties ◽  
Social Networking Services ◽  
Types Of Information

This chapter investigates how online social networking services function and correlate with social capital, and how this affects higher education and civic engagement. First, the authors examine how individuals utilize Facebook to communicate with others strategically to build and maintain social ties. They argue that limiting in-person interaction time and multitasking increases the amount of individuals with whom any one individual can communicate during any given time. The authors then introduce direct and indirect boundaries and demonstrate how they restrict specific types of information while building extensive trust-based network ties. The authors follow this discussion by modeling the online world, offline world, and world of higher education using these boundaries. Finally, they claim that the distinction between low and high social capital communities may be blurring due to advent of online social networking, so it is necessary to develop new means of measuring social capital and boundaries.

Using a Design Research Approach to Investigate the Knowledge-Building Implications of Online Social Networking and Other Web 2.0 Technologies in Higher Education Contexts

2011 ◽  
pp. 117-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cameron Richards
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Knowledge Building ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Online Social Networking ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Web 2.0 Technologies ◽  
Internet Users

Online social networking and related Web 2.0 technologies have taken the world of Internet users by storm in recent years. However beyond the use of blogs for reflective learning journals and University alumni pages on Facebook, there has generally been little integrated use of social networking tools in higher education. This chapter will explore how a design research approach may assist in not only recognizing but also developing the knowledge-building implications of a convergence between such tools and technologies on one hand, and also on the other constructivist approaches to related domains of learning, research and professional reflective practice in academic communities and contexts. The process of designing and developing an applied research problem and related central question or inquiry focus is approached in terms of two ‘design research’ proposals. One, it considers the idea that if a critical mass of both basic skills and actual usage could only be achieved by teachers, administrators and researchers then social networking has the potential to significantly and productively transform higher education. Two, it considers the idea that the key to achieving such a ‘critical mass’ in education contexts perhaps lies in designing meaningful contexts or purposes of interaction – that is, in linking the function of social networking to an appropriate design paradigm for using associated Web 2.0 tools. In this way the chapter will explore the requirements for a more effective harnessing of the exemplary possibilities of online social networking in higher education contexts.

Constructing Community in Higher Education Regardless of Proximity

2014 ◽  
pp. 713-729 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karina Clemmons ◽  
Amanda Nolen ◽  
Judith A. Hayn
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Beginning Teachers ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Online Social Networking ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Global World ◽  
Diverse Cultures

In an increasingly global world where students are increasingly mobile and not bound by the same rules of proximity as before (Beckmann, 2010; Healey, 2008), it becomes critically important to understand how learning can take place and how community can be built through virtual communities. This chapter reports the results of a study that investigated whether preservice and beginning teachers involved in the dialogue of an emergent online social networking community engage in meaningful educational and professionally enriching experiences. The researchers specifically examined how online social networking in teacher education programs addresses issues related to: (1) the isolation students feel while in the field; (2) the lack of community and dialogue among students; (3) the disconnectedness between classroom knowledge and field experiences; (4) the limited reflective practices observed among novice teachers; and (5) the need to appreciate multiple perspectives and diverse cultures.

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