Social networks as teaching tools: perceptions and teacher and student attitudes
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Published
Jan 12, 2017
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Abstract
The increasingly widespread use of social network sites (SNS), particularly among young people, is a global phenomenon attracting increasing research attention. The use of SNS in school contexts has sparked an interesting debate between the supporters and sceptics. This research study is intended to provide a platform for the main protagonists of school life: students and teachers. The goal was to gain insight into the visions and representations about didactic social networking practice as expressed by the 500 participating students and 353 secondary teachers. An online questionnaire was developed in distinct versions for the two groups and a mixed method approach was used for data analysis. The results provide a first attempt at representing the use and educational potentialities of SNS in Italian secondary school. They also provide a basis for some considerations about assigning a greater weight to young people’s role and prospects in the educational contest, both in research and for educational reform.
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Articles - General topics
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References
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Ranieri, M., Manca, S., & Fini, A. (2012). Promuovere comunità professionali di insegnanti e professionisti attraverso i siti di Social Network. TD Tecnologie Didattiche, 20(1), 24-30.
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Schulmeister, R. (2010). Deconstructing the Net Generation Thesis. Qwerty - Open and Interdisciplinary Journal of Technology, Culture and Education, 5(2), 26-60.
Siemens, G., & Weller, M. (2011). Higher education and the promises and perils of social network. Revista de Universidad y Sociedad del Conocimiento, 8(1), 164-170.
Strauss, A.L., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques (2nd Edition). London, UK: Sage.
Benigno, V., Chifari, A., & Chiorri, C. (2014). Adottare le tecnologie a scuola: una scala per rilevare gli atteggiamenti e le credenze degli insegnanti. TD Tecnologie Didattiche, 22(1), 59-62.
Besana, S. (2012a). Social Network e apprendimento informale: un contributo di ricerca. TD Tecnologie Didattiche, 20(1), 17-23.
Besana, S. (2012b). Schoology: il Learning Management System diventa Social. TD Tecnologie Didattiche, 20(1), 51-53.
Bicen, H., & Uzunboylu, H. (2013). The Use of Social Networking Sites in Education: a case study of Facebook. Journal of Universal Computer Science, 19(5), 658-671.
Blazer, C. (2012). Social Networking in Schools: Benefits and Risks; Review of The Research; Policy Considerations; and Current Practices. Information Capsule. Research Services, 1109, ERIC Number: ED536527.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2007). Research Methods in Education (6th Ed.). London, UK: Routledge.
Della Dora, L. (2016, January 28). Digital in 2016: in Italia e nel mondo [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://wearesocial. com/it/blog/2016/01/report-digitalsocial- mobile-in-2016.
Duggan, M., Ellison, N. B., Lampe, C., Lenhart, A., & Madden, M. (2015). Social Media Update 2014. Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project.
Grion, V. (2013). Partecipazione e responsabilità nelle Indicazioni Nazionali per il curricolo del primo ciclo d’istruzione. In V. Grion & A. Cook-Sather (Eds.). Student Voice. Prospettive internazionali e pratiche emergenti in Italia (pp. 136-152). Milano, IT: Guerini.
Grion, V., & Cook-Sather, A. (2013). Student Voice. Prospettive internazionali e pratiche emergenti in Italia. Milano, IT: Guerini.
Grion, V., & Manca, S. (2015). Voci e silenzi in un’esperienza di Student Voice mediata dai social network. TD Tecnologie Didattiche, 23(2), 70-80.
Hosein, A., Ramanau, R., & Jones, C. (2010). Learning and Living Technologies: A longitudinal study of first-year students’ frequency and competence in the use of ICT. Learning, Media and Technology, 35(4), 403-418.
Kio, S. I. (2016). Extending social networking into the secondary education sector. British Journal of Educational Technology, 47(4), 721-733.
Kemp, S. (2015, January 21). Digital, Social & Mobile Worldwide in 2015 [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://wearesocial. com/uk/special-reports/digital-socialmobile- worldwide-2015
Lee, J., Lee, Y., & Kim, M. H. (2015). Perceptions of Teachers and Students towards Educational Application of SNSS and its Educational Effects in Middle School Class. The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 14(4), 124-134.
Ligorio, B., & Barile, M. (2012). Profili identitari e metafore per capire le potenzialità educative dei Social Network. TD Tecnologie Didattiche, 20(1), 11-16.
Manca, S., & Ranieri, M. (2013). Is it a tool suitable for learning? A critical review of the literature on Facebook as a technology-enhanced learning environment. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 29(6), 487-504.
Manca, S., & Ranieri, M. (2014). I Social Media vanno all’università? Un’indagine sulle pratiche didattiche degli accademici italiani. Journal of Educational, Cultural and Psychological Studies, 10, 305-339.
Manca, S., & Ranieri, M. (2016a). Facebook and the others. Potentials and obstacles of Social Media for teaching in higher education. Computers & Education, 95, 216-230.
Manca, S., & Ranieri, M. (2016b). “Yes for sharing, no for teaching!”: Social Media in academic practices. The Internet and Higher Education, 29, 63-74.
Ophir, Y., Rosenberg, H., Asterhan, C. S. C., & Schwarz, B. B. (2016). In times of war, adolescents do not fall silent: Teacherstudent social network communication in wartime. Journal of Adolescence, 46, 98-106.
Persico, D., Chiorri, C., Ferraris, M., & Pozzi, F. (2016). Effects of Social Networking on Learning: The Opinions of Italian University Students. In I. Tomayess, P. Isaias, & P. Kommers (Eds.). Social Networking and Education: Global Perspectives (pp. 145-166). New York, NY: Springer.
Petrucco, C., & Grion, V. (2015). Insegnanti in formazione e integrazione delle tecnologie in classe: futuri docenti ancora poco “social”?. Qwerty - Open and Interdisciplinary Journal of Technology, Culture and Education, 10(2), 30-45.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5). Retrieved from http://www. marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20 -%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20 Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
Prescott, J., Wilson, S., & Becket, G. (2013). Facebook use in the learning environment: do students want this? Learning, Media and Technology, 38(3), 345-350.
Ranieri, M., & Manca, S. (2013). I social network nell’educazione. Basi teoriche, modelli applicativi e linee guida. Trento, IT: Erickson.
Ranieri, M., Manca, S., & Fini, A. (2012). Promuovere comunità professionali di insegnanti e professionisti attraverso i siti di Social Network. TD Tecnologie Didattiche, 20(1), 24-30.
Santarpia, V. (2014, aprile 16). Social network, in arrivo anche in Italia l’educazione digitale. Corriere della Sera. Retrieved from http://www.corriere.it/ notizie/social-network-arrivo-ancheitalia- l-educazione-digitale-50574906- c15d-11e3-9f36-c28ea30209b6.shtml
Schulmeister, R. (2010). Deconstructing the Net Generation Thesis. Qwerty - Open and Interdisciplinary Journal of Technology, Culture and Education, 5(2), 26-60.
Siemens, G., & Weller, M. (2011). Higher education and the promises and perils of social network. Revista de Universidad y Sociedad del Conocimiento, 8(1), 164-170.
Strauss, A.L., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques (2nd Edition). London, UK: Sage.