Abstract:
The popularity of social networking sites has boomed in recent years and the
number of registered users continues to increase. Existing literature reports
on the vast impact of these online sites not only on numerous areas of
everyday life but also on the realm of higher education. In spite of the potential
use of these sites as education and communication tools, few academics use
them. In the current study, various Facebook elements were introduced to a
group of postgraduate research methodology students with the purpose of
exploring and describing the ways in which Facebook could be used to
enhance learning from a student's perspective. A mixed-methods design was
followed in that data were collected using pre- and post-module
questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. It was found that the use of
Facebook in the postgraduate research course was perceived as beneficial,
but the social presence of the students on the page was low. Although the
students felt that its use promoted their ability to grasp complex concepts,
which is particularly relevant to the research methodology classroom, it was
evident that improved student participation on Facebook could only be
achieved through required participation and a heightened teaching presence.
