Social Media & Learning ICT in Education Team UNESCO Bangkok

Why Collaborative Learning?

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.

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 http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/ed100689m http://blogs.nd.edu/kaneb/page/2/ )

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://www.inderscience.com/info/inarticle.php?artid=6518)

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 +0.29 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 http://www.cisco.com/web/about/citizenship/socio- economic/docs/Metiri_Classroom_Collaboration_Research.pdf

ESD and Collaborative Learning

Social Media Can be a useful tool to facilitate collaborative learning beyond time and space limit. Image source: http://lingos.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/the-largest-water-coolersocial-media-for-learning/

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

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..

But…

1. Find a right SM for your learning objectives Image source: http://c4lpt.co.uk/smartworkersguide/

2. Do not assume that a social media automatically create social interaction!

3. Social Media can be a distraction. Image source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8455659/Pupils-distracted-by-gadgets-say-teachers.html

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 Image source: http://www.parent24.com/Baby/Babycare/Babies-prefer-smartphones-to-dummies-20120620

5. Anonymity and Responsibility Can encourage bashful/shy students to participate more actively. Cyberbullying 16

Tips for Teachers

1. Find a right SM for your learning objectives Learning objectives, learning objectives! Would your choice of SM really enhance student learning? Image source: http://c4lpt.co.uk/smartworkersguide/

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.

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 Image source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8455659/Pupils-distracted-by-gadgets-say-teachers.html

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 Image source: http://www.parent24.com/Baby/Babycare/Babies-prefer-smartphones-to-dummies-20120620

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

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.

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

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) http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/research/2010/101013BowenEducause.html 7) Facebook Open Hours (Stanford University) http://www.facebook.com/stanford?fref=ts 8) Social Media Classroom: http://socialmediaclassroom.com/

Useful Resources (cont’) Twitter for Twitchy Teachers (A common sense guide) http://esafety-adviser.com/Resources/Twitter%20for%20Twitchy%20Teachers.pdf Steven W. Anderson and Sam Walker(2012), ASCD 2012-Developing Social Media Policies for Schools https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1UPdNWEdaCZC41-LJejsCTCep_BrQcA3S1_e-nmObNgU/edit A Teacher's Guide to Using Facebook http://www.scribd.com/doc/16957158/Teachers-Guide-to-Using-Facebook-Read-Fullscreen Christine Fisher, Creating Social Media Guidelines for Educators http://www.ascd.org/conferences/conference-daily/ac12/social-media-guidelines.aspx SABRINA KIDWAI AND CATHERINE IMPERATORE(2011), “Social Media as an Advocacy Tool” https://www.acteonline.org/uploadedFiles/Events/files/SocialMediaAsAdvocacyTool_NPS11.pdf

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 www.pltlis.org   Educational Research and Reviews Vol. 6(12), pp. 726-745, 25 September, 2011 accessed online via http://www.academicjournals.org/ERR (30.10.2012) Kreijns et al. (2003), Computers in Human Behaviour 19, Elsevier Science Ltd. pp.342-343 Lewis, S. (2011) Retention and Reform: An Evaluation of Peer-Led Team Learning (2011) (Abstract available on http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/ed100689m http://blogs.nd.edu/kaneb/page/2/ ) Mills, P. (2010), Peer Enabled Restructured Classrooms and the TAS Pipeline to College: A New Model Urban STEM Education accessed online via http://qemnetwork.qem.org/MSP%20Presentations%20Oct%202012/Panel%20Mills%20baltimore%202012.pdf (02.11.2012) Seng et. al., Fostering scientific inquiry in schools through science research & CSCL, NIE Singapore (Abstract available on http://www.inderscience.com/info/inarticle.php?artid=6518 )  

Thank You!! Q&A j.park@unesco.org www.unescobkk.org/education/ict