Developing a Social Media for Learning framework

Social Media for Learning #MELSIG keynote from Sue Beckingham

The growth of the Internet is unprecedented. Never before have we seen such an uptake of a new technology and the Internet in real-time and how quickly data is generated is phenomenal. The way we communicate and connect has changed. There are now a multiplexity of ways this can be done, building upon strong ties and creating new opportunities to develop weak ties. In his TEDxKC talk Michael Wesch stated that:

We are moving towards.....

• Ubiquitous computing
• Ubiquitous communication
• Ubiquitous information
• At unlimited speed
• About everything
• Everywhere
• From anywhere
• On all kinds of devices

Which makes it 'ridiculously easy' to.....

• Connect • Organise • Share • Collect • Collaborate • Publish

There is a shift from being knowledgeable to Knowledge-Able (Michael Wesch 2010)

Digital technologies and social media have enabled personal learning networks unconstrained by time and place. However these require new literacies for networked people. Rainie and Wellman (2012:272-274) refer to:

• Graphic literacy i.e. infographics
• Navigation literacy i.e. internet geography
• Context and connections literacy i.e. PLNs (personal learning networks)
• Focus literacy i.e. time for solitude switch
• Multitasking literacy i.e.. appliances, people
• Scepticism literacy i.e. ‘crap detection’
• Ethical literacy i.e. trust

To develop these literacies it is therefore important that we consider how we can provide opportunities within learning and teaching. There is still a tension however and some may still argue that social media is for socialising and not for academic and scholarly work. There are also many counter arguments and exemplars of how social media is being used effectively. To frame this in academic practice it was felt that a set of principles was needed and this work in progress is currently being shared openly with an invite for readers to contribute and critique.

Developing a Social Media for Learning Framework

The following key principles offer a framework upon which the effective use of social media for teaching and learning can be plotted. The ideas in the framework work in combination or independently of each other. Each principle is informed by established ideas for effective teaching and learning and therefore able to help to clarify and legitimise the use of social media, in its various forms, in good academic practice. (Middleton and Beckingham 2014)

The seven principles proposed are:

1. Socially inclusive
2. Lifewide and lifelong
3. Media neutral
4. Learner-centred
5. Cooperative
6. Open and accessible
7. Authentically situated

Socially inclusive

Supporting and validating learning through mutually beneficial, jointly enterprising and communally constructive communities of practice; fostering a sense of belonging, being and becoming; promoting collegiality, feeling connected, social glue.

Lifewide and Lifelong

Connecting formal, non-formal and informal learning progression; developing online presence; developing digital literacies for experiential, problem solving, creative and critical learning approaches.

Media neutral

Learning across and through rich multiple media; providing opportunities for choices and self expression.

Learner-centred

Promoting self-regulation, creative self-expression, building self-efficacy and confidence; accommodating niche interests and activities, the ‘long tail’ of education.

Co-operative

Promotes working together productively and critically as peers (co-creation) in self-organising, robust networks that are scalable, loosely structured, self-validating, and both knowledge-forming and knowledge-sharing.

Open and Accessible

Supporting spacial, temporal and social openness; promoting open engagement in terms of access being geographically extended, inclusive, controlled by the learner, gratis, open market, unconstrained freedom, access to content.

Authentically situated

Making connections across learning, social and professional networks; being scholarly and establishing a considered professional online presence and digital identity

The framework and principles are intended to:

• Promote discussion informing curriculum design and staff development;
• Validate and refine existing practice;
• Help identify how social media can be further embedded in practice to enhance and transform it.

It is work in progress - Your contributions and feedback will help to develop this framework.

Talking through the Social Media for Learning Framework with Andrew Middleton.