This document discusses using social media, particularly Facebook, in educational settings. Dawn Maplethorpe, a lecturer from Boston College, describes how she set up closed Facebook groups for each of her student cohorts. She found that this allowed her to more easily communicate reminders, share resources, and foster a supportive online community among students. Students could ask questions, participate in polls, and share work and pictures. This increased retention and success rates. While there are some risks like improper use, most students had access and it became a core part of the course. The document encourages attendees to consider what social media tools they could use productively with their own students.

1. GordonMillner and Lyn Lall, Regional Support Centre (East Midlands)
Dawn Maplethorpe, Boston College

2. Aim of the session
2

3. Quick question
Ask yourself …. Typically just how much do you
use social media ……

4. Another question
Ask yourself …. typically just how much do your
students or children use social media ……

5. So other than what the numbers are telling us ….
Why should we use social media in the class or at work ?
5

6. Social media platforms

7. First ….
Let’s take a look at Facebook with
Dawn Maplethorpe from Boston College

8. INSIGHT INTO
SOCIAL MEDIA

9. SO, WHO AM I ?
LEVEL 3 HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE TUTOR AND A LECTURER AT BOSTON COLLEGE
WORKED IN TEACHING AND LEARNING SINCE AUGUST 2010
REGISTERED NURSE
TEACH ACROSS LEVELS 1 THROUGH TO 5
PROUD OWNER OF A KINDLE, WON AT STAFF AWARDS IN JULY 2013 FOR
INNOVATIVE USE OF ilT FOR FACEBOOK

10. SO, WHY
• AS A TUTOR THE BIGGEST ISSUE I FOUND WAS THAT OF SITTING ON THE NEST.
TUTORING REQUIRES TIME THAT DOESN’T EXIST, STAMINA THAT LACKS
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE MEMORY TO RECALL AND MONITOR RETENTION,
SUCCESS, ACHIEVEMENT. All AT THE SAME TIME!
• TO BE AN EFFECTIVE TUTOR YOU NEED TO BE A GREAT JUGGLER AND A GREAT
COMMUNICATOR, AS WELL AS TEAM MEMBER, TEACHER AND A FACILITATOR
OF LEARNING.

11. The solution
• Recruit the right learners for the right courses
• Apply the right amount of pressure at the beginning of the course to
test motivation, commitment and ability.
• Nurture THE GROUP TO GROW A STRONG, SOLID, OPEN AND SUPPORTIVE
GROUP OF LEARNERS.

12. I.T that learners are confident
with
MoodleMoodle FacebookFacebook

13. GETTING THE WHEELS IN MOTION
• PERMISSION GRANTED FROM MY LINE MANAGER WHO WAS A CURRICULUM
LEADER
• A MINI TRAINING SESSION WITH THE COLLEGE’S ILT DEPARTMENTAL HEAD
• SOLD AS A ‘DEPARTMENTAL PILOT PROJECT’

14. TIME
• SET UP WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES PER GROUP (ONCE I KNEW THE
‘KNOW HOW’)
• WRITTEN LETTER WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR NEW LEARNERS AND THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A CODE OF CONDUCT

15. SIGNING UP
• PRIOR TO LEARNERS JOINING THE GROUP A TUTORIAL WAS HELD ON
INTERNET SAFETY AND THE APPROPRIATE USE OF Facebook.
• Learners signed a code of conduct whereby they agreed to its proper
use or disciplinary proceedings will be initiated.

16. HOW USED – THE EARLY DAYS
WHAT
• LEARNERS GIVEN ENTRY TO CLOSED
FACEBOOK GROUP AT ASSESSMENT DAY
• BEING PART OF A CLOSED GROUP WITH
PEERS
• TASTER INFO OF ASSIGNMENT BRIEFS
AND THOUGHT PROVOKING COMMENTS
• Ask questions and polls
IMPACT
• KEEPS LEARNERS ‘WARM’ UNTIL ENROLMENT
• SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF PEER
GROUPS
• PROMOTES AND ENCOURAGES INTERACTION
BETWEEN LEARNERS AND LECTURERS
• GATHER INFORMATION

17. HOW USED – THROUGHOUT THE COURSE
WHAT
• REMINDERS OF RELEVENT
TV/DOCUMENTARIES TO SUPPORT STUDY
• UPLOADING OF GROUP WORK;
POWERPOINTS, FLIP CHART PAPER
• GROUP PICS OF THE FUN STUFF
• SHARING INFORMATION VIA PRIVATE
MESSAGING OR ON THE WALL FOR A GROUP
AUDIENCE
IMPACT
• SUPPORTS TEACHING AND LEARNING
• PEER TEACHING
• DEVELOPS SENSE OF GROUP IDENTITY
• CREATES A SUPPORTIVE FORUM TO
SHARE INFORMATION, CONCERNS OR
SUCCESSES
• GREAT TOOL FOR COMMUNICATING

18. Now
• Every group has its own Facebook group page
• All lecturers and learners are part of this group (over 100 learners)
• Retention and success for 2013 completers was 100%
• This year for learners who started in sept 2013 at level 3, will be 94%
retention
• The page is accessed every day, by learners and teaching staff alike.
• Some learners commented that this forum is one of the core strengths of
our course.

19. The pit falls
• Its mobile. Access to you can seep into your personal life
• Improper use (we have had one incident)
• Lack of access for learners without a smart phone or internet access at
home (we have not come across this, yet!)

20. Any q’s

21. Just a few ideas for some other platforms -
Youtube
21

22. Just a few ideas for some other platforms –
Twitter
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23. Just a few ideas for some other platforms –
Pinterest
23

24. Just a few ideas for some other platforms –
Blogs
24

25. So it does seem IMPORTANT that we should encourage
the use of social media in the class and at work
25

26. Let’s summarise by getting
some ideas together …

27. Type in the Chat Pane
If you’re currently using social media with your students ….
What are you using it for?

28. Type in the Chat Pane
So now you’ve heard what social media can do …..
What are going to take away and do now for your learners?

29. Hopefully food for thought and …..
Additional Resources
We have a lot of resources, webinar recordings, etc on our
Moodle VLE …. No login required
moodle.rsc-em.ac.uk
Our thanks go to Dawn ……

30. Contact
if you have any questions or would like a visit from the RSC to
discuss further any plans you may have then
Contact me:
Gordon Millner
01509 618120
07811 241451
gordon.millner@rsc-em.ac.uk