ERIC Number: EJ1006245
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Jan
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1302-6488
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Guided Assessment or Open Discourse: A Comparative Analysis of Students Interaction on Facebook Groups
Singh, Lenandlar
Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, v14 n1 p35-43 Jan 2013
Web 2.0 and specifically Social Networking Software have become ubiquitous tools for communication over the last five years. Across many disciplines, practitioners and researchers have been exploring these technologies with the hope of tapping into their perceived potential. Not least in this endeavor is the field of Education. Educators and Researchers have been engaged in active research on the practical and pedagogical benefits and implications of Web 2.0 and Social Networks. This paper explores the use of Facebook Groups in the Undergraduate Computer Science Program at the University of Guyana. Specifically, Guided Assessment strategies using Facebook Groups are compared with unguided and non-assessed Facebook Groups. Specifically, this study provides a comparative outline of the usage patterns of two (2) Instructor-Guided and Assessed Facebook Groups with three (3) student-led, nonassessed Facebook Groups that supported a form of Open Discourse. Results suggest that planned and guided, instructor-directed activities provide more focused responses from students compared to Open Discourse. However, information sharing and communication is common among both groups and in similar patterns. Particularly, students shared links, videos, and blogs with their colleagues. Planned activities are recommended for specific course objectives, while students should be encouraged to evaluate and share information among their peers. (Contains 1 table.)
Descriptors: Instructional Effectiveness, Foreign Countries, Computer Science, Video Technology, Course Objectives, Comparative Analysis, Web Sites, Electronic Publishing, Social Networks, Web 2.0 Technologies, Higher Education, Information Transfer, Information Dissemination, Sharing Behavior, Computer Software, Interaction, Undergraduate Students, Undergraduate Study, Measures (Individuals), Questionnaires
Anadolu University. Office of the Rector, Eskisehir, 26470, Turkey. Tel: +90-222-335-34-53; Fax: +90-222-335-34-86; e-mail: rektor@anadolu.edu.tr; e-mail: TOJDE@anadolu.edu.tr; Web site: http://tojde.anadolu.edu.tr/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Guyana
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A