Changing the learning landscapeChanging the learning landscape

Learner engagement through social media

Changing the learning landscapeChanging the learning landscape

Your ideas

• Tweetchats with

professionals

• Virtual clinical practice

• Facebook discussion

• Peer mentoring

• Storify

• Social bookmarking

• Private social networks

• Project wikis

• Group mind mapping

• RSS feeds

• Reflective blogging

Changing the learning landscapeChanging the learning landscape

Key principles of student engagement

Students…

1. engage in their own learning

2. feel part of a community

3. are partners shaping the direction of learning

4. have contribution that is valued and validated

Changing the learning landscapeChanging the learning landscape

How does social media engage?

• Creates wider networks and dialogue

• Personalises learning for own interests

• User-generated: visibility, feedback and active

learning

Changing the learning landscapeChanging the learning landscape

Engaging in their own learning• Engage with other perceptions to inform our own

• Space for reflection and feedback

• Leadership and participative opportunities

– Research-led teaching to engage with the direction of

the field

– Peer mentoring

Changing the learning landscapeChanging the learning landscape

Becoming part of a community• Support networks, particularly on placement

• Space for dialogue – eg. SWSCM Twitter

• Encourage them to be community architects

– Peer to peer interaction

– Ownership over tools of engagement

• Enter a professional community

Changing the learning landscapeChanging the learning landscape

Shaping learning and valuing contributions

• Responsible for the agenda of learning

• Reflect on how they learn

• Demonstrate impact of contributions

• Create momentum for involvement

Changing the learning landscapeChanging the learning landscape

Key principles of student engagement

Students…

1. engage in their own learning

2. feel part of a community

3. are partners shaping the direction of learning

4. have contribution that is valued and validated

Changing the learning landscapeChanging the learning landscape

Discussion

Think of a social media initiative you or your peers

have used in teaching. How could barriers be mitigated

to improve student engagement with them?

Changing the learning landscapeChanging the learning landscape

Discussion: your ideas

• What are the intended learning and engagement

outcomes?

• Will students be creators and guide direction?

– How will this be recognised and supported?

• How can this initiative be integrated with existing

teaching practices?

Changing the learning landscapeChanging the learning landscape

Keys to engaging students

• Cascade practice from peer to peer

• Recognise and interact with student contributions

• Build networks beyond institution

• Any tool used should be convenient for students

Changing the learning landscapeChanging the learning landscape

Further resources

• Social Work/Social Care and Media Tweetchats @SWSCmedia

• HEA report: social media in social work teaching• Mobile Social Work magazine: ‘ideas, innovations

and apps for social work in the age of smartphones and social media’