Advancing Learning Through the Use of Social Media

1. Advancing Learning Through the Use of Social Media StudentAffairs.com Case StudyJude Paul Dizon, Jilliene Johnson, Nicole Palmer-University of Vermont

2. Why Social Media? • Widely used by students • To acquire information • Form connections with peers • Communicate multi-directionally • Integral component of many students’ lives

3. What is Social Media? • Various nascent internet technologies • New forms of communication to promote interaction and dialogue • Networking sites (ieFacebook) • Instant communication (ie Twitter) • Media technology (ieYoutube) • Communication platforms (ie discussion boards, video conferencing, instant messaging, etc.)

4. Strategic Incorporation • We believe social media can advance the goals of higher education institutions. Through timely delivery of information, providing a virtual forum for communication and information storage, social media meets the demands of students to connect to resources and each other in a variety of ways.

5. University of Vermont Learning Co-operative • Mission: We are a community of staff and students whose purpose is to foster academic growth and equal access to education for all students through • Creating a welcoming, inclusive, comfortable environment; • Nurturing students’ identity development and personal and academic growth; • Being innovative and collaborative student advocates.

6. University of Vermont Learning Co-operative • Services • Learning skills • Subject area tutoring • Supplemental Instruction • Writing Center • Goals • To incorporate universal design into Co-op services. • To foster independent learners. • To promote collaborative learning.

7. University of Vermont Learning Co-operative • In accomplishing our goals, we will be guided by the following core values: • Service to the UVM community by advancing student learning and success. • Balance of autonomy and independence in learning. • Diversity, social justice, and multiculturalism. • Excellence and effectiveness in our quality of work.

8. Social Media and Learning Co-operative Goals • To advance the goals of the Learning Co-operative, we intend to utilize social media to: • Provide a structure to facilitate access to resources and services. • Provide resources to students. • Provide a space for students to collaboratively learn.

9. Universal Design in Learning • Understanding and implementing social media in the Learning Co-Operative’s initiatives around the Principles of UDL is critical to its success. As educators one must understand . . . • Multiple means of representation (there are several ways to present information to students to maximize their learning) • Discussion boards • Collective documents • YouTube videos • Multiple means of expression (there are various ways to express knowledge) • Papers and exams • Presentations • Role Playing • Multiple means of engagement ( there are numerous avenues to engage and motivate students) • Internal • External

10. UDL: Why is This Important • Students have diverse challenges • Lack of engagement • Language barriers • Learning disabilities • Sensory and physical disabilities • Psychiatric disabilities • Time constraints • Students come from diverse backgrounds • Race • Language • Socioeconomic status/ Class • Sexual orientation • Gender • Students have diverse strengths • Learning through visuals • Learning through auditory • Learning through kinesthetics

11. UDL and Social Media • Social Media can be a great opportunity to encourage, provide accessibility, and offer supplemental opportunities outside of the classroom. • Encouragement • Social media has become a part of many student’s daily lives. Thus, they are very knowledgeable and open to using it. • YouTube tutorial videos • Facebook Discussion Boards • Google Docs • Accessibility • Many students can access information quickly without little to no traveling • Personal computers • Cell phones • Supplemental Opportunities • Offer other means to interact with the material • Online discussions • Instant feedback to inquires • Video of class lectures

12. Independent Learners • Theoretical Rationale: developing students into independent learners furthers academic success by encouraging individual student initiative, self-reliance, and self-improvement. • Independent learning helps students manage their learning by encouraging them to explore their own learning styles/needs. • Media technology can develop strong independent learners by providing students tools to access academic support materials in ways that are compatible with how students already communicate with their peers.

13. Independent Learners Academic Assistance through video-sharing websites such as Youtube. • Youtube can be used to “broadcast” academic support tools for personal review as frequently as the student may need the resource. • In order to cater to an array of learning styles and the abilities, videos are encouraged to have caption options. Test Taking Skills http://www.youtube.com/uvmlearningcoop

14. Independent Learners • Skype and other VoIP ( voice over Internet Protocol) services can promote inclusion by connecting students with physical disabilities to the classroom from the comfort of home or residence hall. • Services like Skype offer video share, and the ability to play and replay academic support tutorials with video messaging tool. *If professors become active participants in video communication software, students will be able to share and access class resources. • Students could meet and work with their advisors through Skype. For example, Buffalo State College has designated “Skype advisors” offering academic assistance and sharing resources through the software. http://www.buffalostate.edu/academicsupport/x522.xml

15. Independent Learners • In the learning co-op, information should be distributed in a timely manner-where the information is relevant for the students- such as during midterm and final exams. • Twitter helps students retrieve resources in a manner that is timely, easy, and accessible through different mediums( eg. computer, mobile devices, etc.) • Students who “follow” UVM Learning Co-op will have access to useful web resources, video, books, product or services that students would find useful. • For example, this link about the SQ3R method can be customized and “tweeted” to help increase students’ understanding and retention of textbook material. • A way to remember all the stuff in your textbooks • Students can also share the information by “retweeting” a post that they found helpful Stay Connected Through

16. http://twitter.com/#!/uvmlearningcoop

17. Collaboration • Learning is enhanced when it is like a team effort. • In working together, students may acquire new strategies and knowledge. • Students may negotiate shared meanings together and challenge subjective understandings of what they know.

18. Collaboration • Discussion forums • Students in study groups or receiving supplemental instruction for the same courses may benefit from an online discussion forum. • The ability to post questions, comments, and share news with one another facilitates peer learning and cooperation to be academically successful.

19. Collaboration • Shared websites • Group shared websites with the capability to be self-edited (such as Wikipedia) provide another avenue for students to share resources and communicate collectively. • An online space to upload documents, host a calendar of meetings and exams, as well as other materials allows students to instantly share resources with one another.

20. Potential Difficulties • Social medial can be challenging to students that . . . • Only view it as a social avenue and do not want to use it for educational opportunities. • Do not know how to navigate different websites. • Find it difficult to relate to the other people based on their own identities • Have physical disabilities

21. References • Camille, L. Z. & Blachowicz, C. B. (2008). Reading Comprehension, Second Edition: Strategies for Independent Learners . New York,NY : The Guilford Press. • Instructional Approaches – A Framework for Professional Practice. (1991). Saskatchewan Education, USA. • Kumpulainen, K. & Kaartinen, S. (2003). The Interpersonal Dynamics of Collaborative Reasoning in Peer Interactive Dyads. The Journal of Experimental Education, Vol. 71, No. 4, pp. 333-370. • McGraw-Hill Brings Together Social Media and Education Experts to Discuss the Future of Social Media in Higher Education. (2010, February 11). Retrieved February 22, 2011, from PR Newswire: United Business Media: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mcgraw-hill-brings-together-social-media-and-education-experts-to-discuss-the-future-of-social-media-in-higher-education-84142182.html • Summer, J.J., Beretvas S.N., Svinicki, M.D. & Gorin, J.S. (2005) Evaluating Collaborative Learning and Community. The Journal of Experimental Education, Vol. 73, No. 3 (Spring, 2005), pp. 165-188. • Teaching all students, reaching all learners, including students with disabilities as diverse learners.  Retrieved February 22, 2011, from LoveToKnow, Corp: http://www.ist.hawaii.edu/training/design/01_definition.php • Rakoczy, C.  (2011). Different learning styles.  Retrieved February 22, 2011, from: http://www.yourdictionary.com/library/for-teachers/different-learning-styles.html