Student-initiated Facebook sites: nurturing personal learning environments or a place for the disenfranchised?

ABSTRACT

Facebook is social media that is ubiquitously used in higher education contexts by both staff and students. It provides a platform for student networking and expression. The authors illuminate how pre-service teachers in an Australian university, undertaking undergraduate units, use Facebook as a student-initiated social media community. Although an increasing number of research studies have investigated student use of social media in higher education, this is an under-theorised area. In particular, little has been written about the student-initiated use of Facebook as a commentary on the activities running simultaneously to formal online learning programmes in universities. Data drawn from 15 semi-structured interviews support an investigation into student Facebook use. Findings highlight that student-driven Facebook sites have a range of purposes and offer ever-present access to a relational community online, although this can sometimes be problematic. When emotional support is not forthcoming from academics or there is disenfranchisement in formal learning spaces, membership in student-initiated learning communities can afford immediacy, informality, influence and shared emotional connections.

KEYWORDS:

• Facebook
• relational communities
• distance education
• social media
• higher education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jennifer Charteris

Dr Jennifer Charteris is a senior lecturer in pedagogy at the School of Education. University of New England, Armidale. Jennifer’s research interests span identity and subject formation, student voice, assessment for learning, and the politics of teacher education and professional learning. She is interested in how theories of affect and materiality can be used to inform education research.

Mitchell Parkes

Dr Mitchell Parkes is a senior lecturer at the School of Education, University of New England, Armidale. His research interests include learning design, interaction in learning management systems, e-learning competencies and eAssessment.

Sue Gregory

Associate Professor Sue Gregory is the Interim Head of School in the School of Education, University of New England, Armidale, and a UNE Education Scholar. Up until 2018 she was Chair of Research in the UNE School of Education. She holds a Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. Sue is a long-term adult educator and teaches pre-service and postgraduate education students how to incorporate technology into their teaching.

Peter Fletcher

Dr Peter Fletcher is a lecturer at the School of Education, University of New England, Armidale. His research interests include ePedagogy, learning design and eAssessment.

Vicente Reyes

Dr Vicente Reyes is a lecturer at the School of Education, University of Queensland. His current research is into the issues that arise from technology reforms.