Social media has the potential to transform higher education but its use remains limited. It poses challenges as people's behaviors and identities online are different, and institutions are still focused on control rather than learning benefits. However, social media can enhance learning through social interaction, collaboration, and knowledge sharing if implemented properly. The document advocates for a pedagogical approach that leverages social media's interactive and engaging qualities by focusing on questions, community, and connectivity to drive learning rather than limiting its use. Action is needed to resolve tensions and integrate social media for learning enhancement.

1. HEROES
AND
VILLAINS
TURNING SOCIAL MEDIA (IN)ACTIVITY INTO
LEARNING INNOVATION AND ACTION

2. E-learning is still seen as a potential way toE-learning is still seen as a potential way to
transform educationtransform education
Social media is the hero poised to deliverSocial media is the hero poised to deliver
change and the villain ready to entrap thechange and the villain ready to entrap the
wary academywary academy

3. Why does the use of social media inWhy does the use of social media in
higher education learning, teachinghigher education learning, teaching
and assessment remain a fringeand assessment remain a fringe
activity, defined by potential andactivity, defined by potential and
not by impactnot by impact??

4. USERS LIKE TO…USERS LIKE TO…
play, experiment, remix and share within andplay, experiment, remix and share within and
between platformsbetween platforms
(The digital stranger)(The digital stranger)

5. to engage in debates around openness, privacy, identityto engage in debates around openness, privacy, identity
and authenticityand authenticity
(stranger danger)(stranger danger)
We as HE often want…We as HE often want…

6. • Society has changed
with the use of
technology
• People using
technology have
developed different
literacies
Sweeping reasons #1

7. Sweeping reasons #2
• Many HE providers are
still talking about
banning and
controlling access
• Identity, behaviour,
trust are challenged

8. Sweeping reasons #3
• Employers require skills
sets that include active
and passive uses of
technology
• Knowledge is moving
from the stack to the
cloud

9. IS THERE A BLEEDING OBVIOUS?IS THERE A BLEEDING OBVIOUS?
The monolithic institutionThe monolithic institution
People who don't want to do itPeople who don't want to do it

10. Is there a bleeding obvious?Is there a bleeding obvious?
• Are weAre we
scared?scared?
• Lack ofLack of
vision andvision and
leadershipleadership
• The 'tooThe 'too
hard'hard'
basketbasket

11. THE WEB 1.0 PROBLEMTHE WEB 1.0 PROBLEM
• ““We have so little evidence that anyone has learned anything new about theWe have so little evidence that anyone has learned anything new about the
processes of teaching and schooling beyond the confines of their ownprocesses of teaching and schooling beyond the confines of their own
personal locations.”personal locations.”

12. ACTION VS. ACTIVITYACTION VS. ACTIVITY
You can’t stay balanced up there forever.You can’t stay balanced up there forever.
Activity is not enough. You need action to moveActivity is not enough. You need action to move
forwardforward

13. Greenwich Connect aims to enhance learning, student
achievement and outcomes at the University of Greenwich by
supporting…

14. • Social interactionSocial interaction
• Social MediaSocial Media
• CollaborationCollaboration
• CrowdsourcingCrowdsourcing
• Social construction of knowledgeSocial construction of knowledge
• Engagement and NetworksEngagement and Networks

17. MY PEDAGOGYMY PEDAGOGY
• Socially interactiveSocially interactive
• Content positive (user)Content positive (user)
• How to use as opposed to how not toHow to use as opposed to how not to

18. • Questions lead to answersQuestions lead to answers
• Community engaged and sourcedCommunity engaged and sourced
• Connected (lasting and fleeting)Connected (lasting and fleeting)
MY PEDAGOGYMY PEDAGOGY

19. MY PEDAGOGYMY PEDAGOGY
• Play/experimentPlay/experiment
• Learning spacesLearning spaces
• PersonalisationPersonalisation

20. We cannot afford to continue this cyclical and eventually damagingWe cannot afford to continue this cyclical and eventually damaging
‘will they, won’t they?’ dance of unresolved technological tension. ‘will they, won’t they?’ dance of unresolved technological tension.
• Critical, empirical and researchCritical, empirical and research
• Programme enhancement needs to be agile and responsive. Programme enhancement needs to be agile and responsive.
And this has to happen quickly and publicly. And this has to happen quickly and publicly.

21. My blog
http://www.peterbryant.org
My university strategy
http://blogs.gre.ac.uk/greenwichconnect
Twitter
@peterbryantHE
Contact
p.j.bryant@gre.ac.uk