Abstract:

Education, Technology and Development depends increasingly on social media. The use of digital tools, social networks and social media improves education. However, it is relatively recent but active study object. In the Research Group about Digital Journalism and Broadband, in the Universitat Abat Oliba CEU, in Barcelona (Spain), we analyze, among other items, the use of social network in the classroom, taking advantage of the online activities. We analyze, in this paper, the theoretical framework of social networks. Links with education are evident. We develop a quantitative and qualitative methodology (triangulation). We choose a universe of college students used to include digital tools in the classroom (Moodle, online exercises, online exams, hypertext inclusion, streaming to document in the class). Then, we ask them for aspects of social networks (focused on Facebook and Twitter) in a quantitative way (using Likert scales) and in a qualitative perspective (in deep interviews). Statistically, we observe possible improvements in the class thanks to Facebook and Twitter. Relationship between professor and student, or even between student and student, is optimizable. We conclude the inclusion of social networks as a tool in the class time is positive.

Keywords:

Facebook, Twitter, social networks, education, classroom.