Using Facebook groups to support social presence in online learning

ABSTRACT

Building interpersonal connections in asynchronous online learning is important, but it is harder to achieve compared to face-to-face learning experiences due to its mostly text-based nature. Facebook is a popular social media platform and has been used as an outside-class communication space in formal learning contexts to supplement cognitive and affective aspects of learning. In this study, we used Facebook groups as supplemental social spaces in two asynchronous online master’s-level courses to understand if it impacted students’ perceptions of social presence (i.e., copresence, immediacy, and intimacy), learning interaction with faculty and peers, as well as sociability of the online learning environment. The results indicated that students felt more positively about social presence and learning interactions with other classmates and their instructor and perceived the course as having more sociability after they joined the class Facebook group. Findings have implications for supporting social impression formation in online learning.

KEYWORDS:

• Online learning
• social presence
• learning interaction
• sociability
• Facebook

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mete Akcaoglu

Mete Akcaoglu is associate professor of instructional technology in the Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development at Georgia Southern University. His research focuses on cognitive and motivational outcomes from innovative and technology-rich learning environments.

Eunbae Lee

Eunbae Lee is assistant professor of instructional technology at The Catholic University of Korea. Her research interest centers on innovation and engagement in technology-enhanced, student-centered learning environments.