A CASE STUDY IN USING YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK AS SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS IN ENHANCING STUDENT CENTERED LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT

The widespread use of social media and web 2.0 technologies of the net generation of students in their social lives poses a question on how social media can be harnessed and used for enhancing learning in schools today. The public nature, no-cost and low access barrier of these social media make it very accessible for students to use and learn.

Even with this pervasiveness, many learning institutions in the world are reluctant to embrace these technologies, as some are even banning social media websites in schools and unable to understand how Web 2.0 technologies can enhance the academic experience not only for students but also for faculty members.

This paper aims to explore ways on how to incorporate Web 2.0 technologies in an evolving learning environment. The ubiquity of social media cannot be ignored and there is a need to find a way of how to harness these technologies for a more learner-centered education.

This case study examines the use of social media such as youtube and facebook in enhancing student centred learning techniques for media production courses at the NHTV University of Applied Sciences in Breda, Netherlands. 131 2nd year media undergraduate students on a 4 year course developed, produced and delivered 27 60-90 second short films in a cross disciplinary, multi-cultural environment.

Content was distributed via Youtube, while Facebook was used to deliver student centred feedback. Both websites were also used to analyse viewing habits. An internet forum, www.imemforum.nl was also provided for students and lecturers to post technical questions and answers relating to the project. To supplement results, a survey was conducted to assess the efficacy of the use of Web 2.0 technologies in this context.

The results of the case study demonstrates that Web 2.0 technologies supports student centred learning enabling students to deliver instant feedback within a cross disciplinary and multi cultural environment, creating delivery methods appropriate for the ‘Net Generation’.

Using Web 2.0 technologies in this case study focused on the use of Youtube, Facebook and the IMEM forum. Youtube provided an excellent delivery and distribution platform, Facebook was used as an efficient tool providing instant peer feedback and evaluation, the IMEM forum provided additional support during the production period if a lecturer was not available to answer questions in person.

Feedback on projects using Web 2.0 technologies is instant – an expectation the Net Generation grew up with. Appropriate use of social media together with face to face interactions can significantly contribute to student centred learning in a media production environment. Furthermore, Web 2.0 technologies can enhance transparency of the curriculum and structure of the course not only to students but also to friends and family, stimulate real-world and online debate and raise the school’s public profile.