Utilizing Social Media to Engage Students in Online Learning

2018 ◽  
pp. 34-55
Author(s):  
Sara Bender ◽  
Patricia Dickenson
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Academic Failure ◽  
Virtual Classroom ◽  
Emotional Engagement ◽  
Online Instructors ◽  
Online Student ◽  
Students Success

There is a large body of research suggesting that online students feel disconnected from their academic institutions. This sense of detachment may elicit feelings of frustration and isolation, as well as contribute to academic failure. Students' success and satisfaction in the online learning environment may be contingent upon the type of interaction between the student, faculty member, and their classroom peers. Online instructors are challenged with finding the means to bridge the gap of physical space to create authentic relationships. Social media, especially social networking, holds much promise for creating a space where emotional engagement between the instructor and students can be facilitated beyond the virtual classroom. The aim of this chapter is to share best practices in social media to engage the online student in a manner that is both productive and efficient.

Utilizing Social Media to Engage Students in Online Learning

2016 ◽  
pp. 84-105
Author(s):  
Sara Bender ◽  
Patricia Dickenson
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Academic Failure ◽  
Virtual Classroom ◽  
Emotional Engagement ◽  
Online Instructors ◽  
Online Student ◽  
Students Success

There is a large body of research suggesting that online students feel disconnected from their academic institutions. This sense of detachment may elicit feelings of frustration and isolation, as well as contribute to academic failure. Students' success and satisfaction in the online learning environment may be contingent upon the type of interaction between the student, faculty member, and their classroom peers. Online instructors are challenged with finding the means to bridge the gap of physical space to create authentic relationships. Social media, especially social networking, holds much promise for creating a space where emotional engagement between the instructor and students can be facilitated beyond the virtual classroom. The aim of this chapter is to share best practices in social media to engage the online student in a manner that is both productive and efficient.

Deepening Understanding of Multicultural Online Education

2016 ◽  
pp. 472-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Kumi-Yeboah ◽  
Patriann Smith ◽  
Guangji Yuan ◽  
Christina Nash
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Virtual Classroom ◽  
Educational Systems ◽  
Instructional Tools ◽  
Online Instructors ◽  
Instructional Processes ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Teacher Presence

In the 21st century, online education provides an alternative instructional medium for teachers and students in United States educational systems and the world at large. Technology transforms how, when, and where students can learn, as well as the trends and use of instructional tools by students and teachers in the teaching-learning process. Online learning has developed during the past two decades to support traditional face-to-face classroom instruction and provides an opportunity for students to “interact with faculty and peers about substantive matters” (National Survey of Student Engagement, 2007, p. 7). The increase in minority students within U.S. schools has created a rise in socio-cultural, personal histories, educational, religious, and language/linguistic differences within the virtual classroom, requiring online instructors who teach in these contexts to be prepared to meet students' diverse needs. Despite the increase in online instruction, many questions remain unanswered with regards to how one group of minorities, particularly, English learners, adjust to instructional processes and teacher presence in an online learning environment. This chapter addresses the role of teacher presence in multicultural and online education, potential challenges of online learning for English learners, and teacher presence in multicultural online education.

Online Student Support: A Framework for Embedding Support Interventions into the Online Learning Cycle

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Rotar
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Student Support ◽  
Student Attrition ◽  
Learning Cycle ◽  
Online Student ◽  
Support Strategies ◽  
University Experience ◽  
The University ◽  
Students Success

Support is one of the vital elements of online students’ success. Although many support strategies have been documented in the past, less is known at what stages of the learning cycle suggested interventions can be best embedded into the online learning curriculum. This paper aims to address this gap. First, it offers a systematic review of the empirical research on effective support interventions, as well as analyses recommendations for student support retrieved from the research on online student attrition and retention. Secondly, by utilizing an Inclusive Student Services Process Model, this paper indicates areas where considered strategies can be embedded into the online learning cycle. The analysis suggests that support strategies and services offered at different stages of students learning cycle and embrace all the aspects of the university experience, including administrative and pastoral, hold a great potential for ensuring online student success. Yet, there is a need for the development of the criteria of quality and effectiveness of existing support interventions.

Deepening Understanding of Multicultural Online Education

2020 ◽  
pp. 1363-1386
Author(s):  
Alex Kumi-Yeboah ◽  
Patriann Smith ◽  
Guangji Yuan ◽  
Christina Nash
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Virtual Classroom ◽  
Educational Systems ◽  
Instructional Tools ◽  
Online Instructors ◽  
Instructional Processes ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Teacher Presence

In the 21st century, online education provides an alternative instructional medium for teachers and students in United States educational systems and the world at large. Technology transforms how, when, and where students can learn, as well as the trends and use of instructional tools by students and teachers in the teaching-learning process. Online learning has developed during the past two decades to support traditional face-to-face classroom instruction and provides an opportunity for students to “interact with faculty and peers about substantive matters” (National Survey of Student Engagement, 2007, p. 7). The increase in minority students within U.S. schools has created a rise in socio-cultural, personal histories, educational, religious, and language/linguistic differences within the virtual classroom, requiring online instructors who teach in these contexts to be prepared to meet students' diverse needs. Despite the increase in online instruction, many questions remain unanswered with regards to how one group of minorities, particularly, English learners, adjust to instructional processes and teacher presence in an online learning environment. This chapter addresses the role of teacher presence in multicultural and online education, potential challenges of online learning for English learners, and teacher presence in multicultural online education.

scholarly journals Exploring Students’ Use of the Social Networking Site WhatsApp to foster connectedness in the online learning experience

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Stone ◽  
Anna Logan
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Virtual Classroom ◽  
Social Networking Site ◽  
Special Educational Needs ◽  
Learning Space

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the use of social networking tools in higher education teaching and learning.  Drawing on data from a larger study focusing on student engagement in the online virtual classroom, this paper is based on research conducted with three separate cohorts of students from the Masters in Special Educational Needs (MSEN) at St. Patrick’s College now the Institute of Education, Dublin City University (DCU).  Emerging from the first two phases of the research was the use of the WhatsApp social media tool by students as an informal learning space and a means of building connectedness. We explored this finding in more detail in phase three by inviting respondents to comment specifically on their use of social media throughout the programme. It emerged that the use of WhatsApp was widespread, offering students an opportunity to forge a sense of connection and the basis for developing a learning community.   This paper will present findings around the use of WhatsApp with reference to literature in three areas connected to the online learning experience: Online learning as a second class learning experience, fostering connectedness within online learning contexts and social media and learning.

UNDERSTANDING DISABILITIES & ONLINE STUDENT SUCCESS

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen Betts ◽  
Bill Welsh ◽  
Kelly Hermann ◽  
Cheryl Pruitt ◽  
Gaeir Dietrich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Success ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Disability Services ◽  
Government Accountability ◽  
Academic Goals ◽  
Online Student ◽  
Support Resources ◽  
Legislative Changes

Approximately 11% of all postsecondary students reported having a disability in 2008. Although the percentage of students with disabilities in 2008 closely reflects the percentage reported in 2004, the U.S. Government Accountability Office states that recent legislative changes have the potential to increase the diversity and number of students with disabilities pursing higher education. To support students with disabilities enrolled in higher education and in online learning, it is important to understand disabilities and the resources students need to actively engage in their courses and to achieve their academic goals. This article includes collaborative responses from a diverse group of leaders at eight higher education institutions and organizations who work with disability services and have experience in online learning. Some of the contributors also have disabilities so the collective responses build upon research, professional experience, and personal experience. For this article, the ten contributors answered 20 questions regarding disabilities and online student success as well as provided recommended practices. This article is designed to be interactive. It includes screenshots, simulation links, video demonstrations, and resources to provide a more detailed understanding of disabilities, accessibility, and support resources. JALN readers are encouraged to interact with the simulations and to watch the demonstration videos as a way to learn more about disabilities and supporting online student success.

scholarly journals “Teachers Act Like We’re Robots”: TikTok as a Window Into Youth Experiences of Online Learning During COVID-19

AERA Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 233285842199553
Author(s):  
Ioana Literat
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Home School ◽  
Educational Support ◽  
Social Lives ◽  
Online Coursework ◽  
Youth Experiences ◽  
Educational Futures

Social media, and especially popular youth-focused platforms like TikTok, can offer a valuable window into youth experiences, including their perceptions of online learning. Building on a large-scale thematic analysis of 1,930 TikTok videos posted in March-June 2020, this study examines how young people shared their experiences of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings indicate that youth portrayed online coursework as overwhelming and relentless against the traumatic background of the pandemic. They sought support, empathy, and authenticity from teachers, and both received and provided emotional and educational support to peers on the platform. Students’ home contexts emerged as particularly salient, making visible the intersections between young people’s home, school and social lives. By facilitating a grounded, bottom-up understanding of students’ experiences and perceptions—shared in their preferred spaces and modes of expression—this research stresses the need to attend to youth perspectives to craft more equitable and empowering educational futures.

Affective digital presence: How to free online writing and drawing?

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis Gilbert ◽  
Miranda Matthews
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Online Writing ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Emancipatory Learning ◽  
Online Experience

Online learning can be an alienating experience; students can feel their emotions are disregarded, marginalized or even viewed as hindrances as they try to motivate themselves to learn, staring at the dancing pixels of their illuminated screens. They feel at a remove from other students, trapped in other rooms, far away from them. The closeness of bodies in a shared physical space is raised as an absence. And yet, we contend in this article that connecting with affect in online learning spaces could build connectivity that counteracts the alienation of social distancing. Raw creative affective discourses can be challenging, and uncomfortable for others to take in but they are necessary online. We show that using non-digital practices such as drawing and writing freely, without inhibitions, can immeasurably enhance the online experience, giving a space for affect to be expressed in a safe but emancipatory learning architecture.

Social media activity: its impact on career-related perceptions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly W. O'Connor ◽  
Kimberly S. McDonald ◽  
Brandon T. McDaniel ◽  
Gordon B. Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Career Satisfaction ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Amazon Mechanical Turk ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Career Benefits

Purpose The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine individual perceptions about the impact that social media use has on career satisfaction and perceived career benefits. We examined whether informal online learning through “typical” types of social media behaviors (e.g. liking a post or messaging another user) and “networking” types of social media behaviors (e.g. endorsing another user, writing recommendations, going “live,” or looking for a job) impacted career-related perceptions. Design/methodology/approach In this study, we analyzed Amazon Mechanical Turk survey data gathered from adult participants (n = 475). We focused our inquiry specifically on two social media sites, Facebook and LinkedIn. We asked participants about their social media use and behaviors, as well as their perceptions of career satisfaction and career benefits related to social media. Findings We found that both typical and networking types of social media behaviors positively predicted the “knowing whom” career competency (defined as career relevant networks and contacts that individuals use to develop their careers) and career satisfaction. Only networking behaviors were positively associated with perceived career benefits of social media use. We further found that LinkedIn users’ career satisfaction was lower compared to non-LinkedIn users. Originality/value This study adds to the small, but growing body of career research focusing on social capital and social media. Our results suggest that informal online learning via social media may have a positive impact on employees’ career-related perceptions.

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