This document discusses the Study Space app, an internal social media platform designed by students at the University of Bath to supplement their learning. It allows students to ask and answer questions, vote on lectures, and engage with each other and faculty in real-time. Feedback from students and faculty who have used the app has been positive, as it facilitates peer support and engagement outside of lectures. One MSc project is analyzing students' needs around mobile apps for academics. Preliminary findings suggest that while Moodle is used, it does not fulfill all needs, so students may be open to using an internal social media platform for learning purposes.

1. Keith Brown
The University of Bath
Using Social Media to
Enhance Teaching & Learning
@KeithBrownBath blogs.bath.ac.uk/keithbrown
keith.brown@bath.ac.uk

2. Study Space App
Designed by students, for students
• iOS
• Android
• Web

3. What is it?
• Internal Social Media App for a programme unit
• Aligned with how young people use technology
• Database is internal (not on Facebook)
• Additional resource to supplement Moodle
• Community of students helping each other
• Real-time Unit Evaluation (Formative not Summative)

4. • Time-line/ Channel
• Posts
• Anonymous Posts
• Up/Down Vote
• Questions
• Lectures
• Voting Competitions
Features

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Did you enjoy the format of the last two lectures? Please rate on a
scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 being full marks for enjoyment) n = 46

7. Unit Convenor
Dr Albert Bolhuis
As convenor for PA20024, the Study-Space app has provided a
convenient way to engage with students outside of lectures, and
enables staff to monitor how well students have understood the
material that was taught.
The app is easy to use and the workload is minimal.
Importantly, students are not only asking, but also answering
questions that have been posted, and the app thus facilitates a
lively peer support community for the unit.

9. MSc Analysing International Business
Project Objective is to study the environment and
implications of Mobile Apps in Higher Education
15 projects
80 Students
School of Management
Do Students want Apps?

10. 15 student projects
• Library Services
• Objectives of mobile technology from student and staff perspective
• Learning Portals
• Academic challenges that students face and how apps can be used to
overcome these challenges
• Do mobile apps help to improve students’ efficiency and performance
• Peer Assisted Learning
• Would students use an internal University of Bath social media platform?

11. Would students use an internal social media platform?
Our interpretation is that the more students use Moodle, the
more they feel the need to use social media for academic
purposes. This shows that Moodle does not provide a platform
for all of the academic needs of students.
In our qualitative research, we plan to investigate what exactly
students are missing from Moodle and why this is the case.
Extract from interim report:

12. Visitor and Resident approach
(White and LeCornu, 2011)
Food for Thought

13. Food for Thought