Facing reality in a Further Education context – Using

Facebook to create learning communities without the cost of a hosted solution

Bridgend College

The FE Context

Constrained resources in an FE context

FE delivery

How Facebook acted as a vehicle for achieving learning that was not possible otherwise.

Memphis Trip Page

Why Social Networking

Access 365 days a year

24/7

Free

Embedded in their experience

Available on mobile and desktop devices

Direct Interaction and group focus

Social Intrusion

Managed by the tutor administrators, use of closed group

The groups are subject specific, not College based

No personal Facebook interaction – not friending students

Not in their direct interaction - its in group spaces

To date 100% of our students are facebook users

Creative Industry Specific

Better than face to face

Continuous learning outside the college

Enables follow-up discussion from class and Student led research.

Options for students who don’t interact as well in face to face contexts

Student benefit

The students’ perception has been that the group has improved the range and flexibility of communication and provided an effective hub for communicating and learning between the staff and learners – evidence of support

“I found the group page a huge benefit, it enabled me to communicate with tutors and group members, it was a good source to contact members and share ideas”.

Danni Kennedy student 2012

Risks and how to address them

Facebook group is part of induction week

Risks were avoided

To date all students have respected the groups

All tutors are group administrators

All students feel part of a unique, specialised environment