Guess, A. (2008) Social Networks, the Next Educational Tool? Inside Higher Education, Nov. 1
A study conducted this year at Arizona State University sought to take a closer look at first-year students’ use of social networks, mainly Facebook and MySpace.
The study was presented by Laura C. Brewer, director of research and evaluation at Arizona State University’s Applied Learning Technologies Institute and her team, at the Educause 2008 conference. The study explored the relationship between the use of social networking applications and campus life. Online survey data from 3,000 first-year students living on campus described how students use Facebook to create academic and social identities. The institutional implications of social networking on recruitment, retention, and campus academic technology were discussed.
For more details on this study, read the report in Inside Higher Education
Dr. Tony Bates is the author of eleven books in the field of online learning and distance education. He has provided consulting services specializing in training in the planning and management of online learning and distance education, working with over 40 organizations in 25 countries. Tony is a Research Associate with Contact North | Contact Nord, Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network.
