Abstract:

Facebook is one of the most used social networking services in the world. The company was established in 2004 and by 2012 had reached over one billion active users, and by now an accelerated growing is exhibited. Even though its main purpose was to provide an online communication platform for users to make new friends and interact with them, it may be a convenient platform to enhance the teaching-learning process as it allows an online interaction teacher-student with great potential to facilitate student guidance and counselling work. This paper presents the results of a study conducted in a Mexican University, to explore the potential benefits that might have this social network on the teaching-learning process. Data were obtained from interviews and application of questionnaires to teachers and students and also messages written by teachers and students as Facebook users were analysed. The results indicated that both teachers and students will benefit from this interaction tool. The potential benefits of Facebook for teachers and students are not only limited to the improvement of teaching-learning process used as a communication and interaction tool, but also in the use of a tool that motivates both teacher and students and that support both in their professional development.

Keywords:

Social networks and education, teacher-student interaction, teaching-learning process, Facebook and education.