Students are fluent in social media. Studies conducted between 2013 and 2014 on teen and adult internet usage found that 77% of internet users between the ages of 12 and 17 and 87% of internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 use Facebook (Madden et al, 2013; Duggan et al, 2014). UW students responding to the ECAR survey reflected this familiarity. When responding to a question about the educational technology they would like instructors to use, students suggested that the learning curve for social media as an educational tool would be minimal. One student pointed out that “almost all students use” social media, making it “an established method of communication,” while another referred to it as a “more ‘natural’ way to talk to other students.” Students want instructors to hold virtual office hours. Faculty responding to the 2014 ECAR survey described seeing an increase in emails received from students, paired with a decrease in in-person visits during office hours. Comments from UW students confirmed this trend in behavior. Students noted that they can access their instructors more efficiently when they are online. When asked what the UW could do differently to improve student outcomes, students expressed interest in receiving real-time responses from instructors through social media. A 2013 study similarly found that students appreciate the opportunity to engage in virtual office hours as a means of supporting their learning and increasing flexible communication with faculty (Michael, 2013). Challenges As instructors and students are developing a sense for how social media fits into the learning environment, challenges emerge alongside opportunities. Here we take into consideration what the current literature says in conjunction with UW faculty and student impressions.Students want separation between their online academic life and online social life. Students are increasingly interested in preserving privacy, maintaining a separation between their online social lives and their online academic lives (Wang et al, 2012; Jones et al, 2009). Just under half of UW students who responded to the ECAR survey in 2013 reported that they like to keep their online academic and social lives separate. In 2014, that percentage increased to 64% (p value <0.001). As a result, students may be uncomfortable using their personal accounts for academic purposes. The privacy issue highlights another challenge: How do FERPA regulations apply to the academic use of social media? While FERPA
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
