Paper presentation for Networked Learning Conference 2014. The presentation shows findings from an empirical study of five non-institutional Facebook groups created and managed by students in Danish upper secondary schools. The study rejects the claims that students do not wish to use Facebook for school-related activities. The empirical study demonstrates that students are using Facebook groups to help each other with all kinds of school-related matters, including issues relating directly to academic subjects. Based on the findings from the study, the paper concludes that there is an educational potential of Facebook groups in supporting peer-to-peer learning between students.

1. Students’ use of Facebook for peer-to-peer learning
Christian Dalsgaard, associate professor
@chrdalsgaard
cdalsgaard@tdm.au.dk
Centre for Teaching Development and Digital Media
Aarhus University
Denmark

2. What are the educational potentials of
Facebook groups?

3. Educational potentials of Facebook?
• Facebook as a Learning Management System
• Facebook for social integration

4. Study – upper secondary education
17 schools
182 teachers
2035 students
5 student Facebook groups

5. Learning Management Systems (LMS)
vs.
Social media

6. Almost all the time
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
Don’t know
To what extent do you use LMS to communicate with your
teacher?
To what extent do you use social media to communicate with your
teacher?
Almost all the time
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
Don’t know

7. Almost all the time
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
Don’t know
To what extent do you use LMS to help or receive help from fellow
students regarding homework?
Almost all the time
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
Don’t know
To what extent do you use social media help or receive help from
fellow students regarding homework?

8. Students use LMS to communicate with teachers
Students rarely use LMS to help each other

9. Students rarely use social media to communicate with teachers
Students use social media to help each other

10. Student-managed Facebook groups

11. 5 Facebook groups
Total
3139 posts
15018 comments
Average
1 post
4 comments
per day

12. Categories of communication
Social posts not relating to school work
• Social events in school
• Social events outside school
Academic posts
• Subject matter
• Study technique
• Administrative issues

13. Where are the materials for classical civilization?"
How do you define something in Maple?"
Where should we submit the math assignment?"
Biology is moved to Thursday"
The Danish lesson is cancelled"
How do you use sinus in Maple?"

16. What are the educational potentials of
Facebook groups?

17. Facebook for peer-to-peer learning
Facebook is not only for social integration and non-academic communication
Students use Facebook groups to help each other with school work
Students take on the role of teachers and utilise Facebook groups for peer-to-
peer learning
THANK YOU!
Christian Dalsgaard
@chrdalsgaard
cdalsgaard@tdm.au.dk