1. Social Media & Learning
ICT in Education Team
UNESCO Bangkok

2. Why Collaborative Learning?

3. Benefits of Collaborative Learning
Students can clarify and organize their ideas well enough to verbalize them to others.
Students have opportunities to elaborate on what they have learned.
Students are exposed to the views of others – views that may reflect a more accurate understanding of the topics under discussion.
Students discover how people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds may interpret the world in different but valid ways.

4. Empirical Evidences (1)
Introductory Chemistry at a US university
Peer-led Team Learning
Higher retention rate
Higher achievement (15% higher in pass rate than a traditional class)
Students in minority groups had the largest improvement in pass rates with a collaborative learning approach
Source: Lewis, S. (2011) Retention and Reform: An Evaluation of Peer-Led Team Learning (2011) (Abstract available on )

5. Empirical Evidences (2)
Secondary 1 students in a school in Singapore (n=71)
Knowledge Forum
Enhanced the students' scientific inquiry skills
Especially in the area of identifying variables and stating hypothesis.
Source: Seng et. al. (2005). Fostering scientific inquiry in schools through science research & CSCL, Int. J. of Learning Technology, Vol.1, No.3, pp.273 – 292. (Abstract available on ttp://

6. Empirical Evidences (3)
Meta-analysis of 10 studies at elementary or secondary levels (3,029 K-12 students)
Students in collaborative groups do better in achievement tests than those in traditional instruction.
CL Treatment
Students in 50th percentile
(experimental group)
62nd percentile
10 studies between 1999 and 2009
Simple task: practice of math facts and spelling words or simple arithmetic problems with a single procedure and right answer
Complex: open-ended or ill-structured problems requiring multiple steps, inferences, and/or the comprehension of complex material,
The combined data from these studies, using 20 independent effect sizes across simple and complex tasks, indicate that students working in collaborative groups learn more than those in traditional classrooms (ES=+.29). To look at this a different way, an effect size of means that a student in the 50th percentile prior to the collaborative treatment might expect to be in the 62nd percentile following the treatment whereas a student at the 50% percentile in the control group who had traditional instruction would remain there.
Traditional instruction
Students in 50th percentile
(control group)
50th percentile
Source: Williams , S. (2009). Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Collaborative, Scaffolded Learning in K-12 Students. CISCO. Available at economic/docs/Metiri_Classroom_Collaboration_Research.pdf

7. ESD and Collaborative Learning

8. Social Media
Can be a useful tool to facilitate collaborative learning beyond time and space limit.
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9. When social media meets collaborative learning…
Students can clarify and organize their ideas well enough to verbalize them to others.
Students have opportunities to elaborate on what they have learned.
Students are exposed to the views of others – views that may reflect a more accurate understanding of the topics under discussion.
Students discover how people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds may interpret the world in different but valid ways.
Enhancing and Deeping Learning
Can be a useful tool to facilitate collaborative learning beyond time and space limit.
Preparing students for real workplaces

10. Examples
Blog: to manage individual portfolio with comments (Teachers can use student blog for performance evaluation)
Wiki: to collectively document a work progress/ collective writing
Twitter: to encourage conversation in a large lecture
Skype: to virtually invite experts into class
Online forum: to encourage discussion beyond classroom
And many more..

11. But…

12. 1. Find a right SM for your learning objectives
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13. 2. Do not assume that a social media automatically create social interaction!

14. 3. Social Media can be a distraction.
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15. 4. SM can discourage F2F interaction.
Can encourage bashful/shy students to participate more actively. But learners are missing valuable lessons in real-life social skills
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16. 5. Anonymity and Responsibility
Can encourage bashful/shy students to participate more actively.
Cyberbullying 16

17. Tips for Teachers

18. 1. Find a right SM for your learning objectives
Learning objectives, learning objectives! Would your choice of SM really enhance student learning?
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19. 2. Do not assume that a social media automatically create social interaction!
Keep monitoring your students’ progress!!!!
Give your feedback in real time!
Keep it short and direct.
Be respectful.
Thank them for participating.

20. 3. Social Media can be a distraction.
Make a clear link between lesson and social media.
Spend time to reach mutual understanding why we are using SM in class teaching and learning
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21. 4. SM can discourage F2F interaction.
Blend with classroom interaction.
Can encourage bashful/shy students to participate more actively. But learners are missing valuable lessons in real-life social skills
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22. 5. Anonymity and Responsibility
Don’t share secrets and protect your own privacy.
Be honest.
Respect copyright laws.
Critically evaluate information.
Always keep an eye on signs of cyberbullying.
Be the first person to admit your mistakes.
Think about the consequences.
Don’t neglect your day job.
Can encourage bashful/shy students to participate more actively.
Cyberbullying 22

23. Practical Tips for Teachers
Facebook
If you would like to keep your personal profile reserved only for family and friends but still wish to use Facebook with your students and/or colleagues, you can set up a separate profile for this purpose.
keep in mind that you have a professional image to uphold as a teacher. Students should also understand that it is important they keep a respectful tone in their interactions with you on Facebook.
If you would like to keep your personal profile reserved only for family and friends but still wish to use Facebook with your students and/or colleagues(provided they are at least 13 and you have parental consent), you can set up a separate profile for this purpose.
keep in mind that you have a professional image to uphold. Students should understand that it is important they keep a respectful tone in their interactions with you on Facebook.
If you do interact with your students on Facebook, you are going to be privy to information that they have used to construct their online identities.
Social networking sites such as Facebook carry great potential in collaborating with students, colleagues, and establishing a Personal Learning Network. As you would in face-to-face settings, it is important to be professional in one's demeanor and while engaged in any interactions with others. We are typically as teachers held to a higher standard than the general public. Please be aware that Facebook's policies and settings may change over time. The contents within this guide best reflect the conditions and features of Facebook at the time of its publication. Furthermore, this guide was independently written by me thus was not endorsed by Facebook.

24. It’s your choice! (And we can help. )

25. Useful Resources Social Media Guidelines for Schools and Teachers
1) Social Media Guidelines For The State Of NC
2) Social Media Guidelines DePaul University
3) Minnetonka Public Schools Social Media Policy
4) Pottsville Area School District Social Media Policy
5) Student Code Of Ethics From Vicki Davis
6) Hotseat mobile learning (Purdue University)
7) Facebook Open Hours (Stanford University)
8) Social Media Classroom:

26. Useful Resources (cont’)
Twitter for Twitchy Teachers (A common sense guide)
Steven W. Anderson and Sam Walker(2012), ASCD 2012-Developing Social Media Policies for Schools
A Teacher's Guide to Using Facebook
Christine Fisher, Creating Social Media Guidelines for Educators
SABRINA KIDWAI AND CATHERINE IMPERATORE(2011), “Social Media as an Advocacy Tool”

27. References
CISCO Systems, Inc. (2009) The Impact of Collaborative, Scaffolded Learning in K-12 Schools – A Meta-Analysis
CCSC (2010) “Using PLTL to assist in Retention in Computer Science Classes” (p169)
Eberlein, T. (2012), Peer-Led Team Learning – Evaluation: Beneficial effects of PLTL persist to later courses at Penn State Schuylkill accessed frin  
Educational Research and Reviews Vol. 6(12), pp , 25 September, 2011 accessed online via ( )
Kreijns et al. (2003), Computers in Human Behaviour 19, Elsevier Science Ltd. pp
Lewis, S. (2011) Retention and Reform: An Evaluation of Peer-Led Team Learning (2011) (Abstract available on )
Mills, P. (2010), Peer Enabled Restructured Classrooms and the TAS Pipeline to College: A New Model Urban STEM Education accessed online via ( )
Seng et. al., Fostering scientific inquiry in schools through science research & CSCL, NIE Singapore (Abstract available on )

28. Thank You!!
Q&A