A Case Study Of Learning, Support And Disruption For Distance Learners In Student-Led Facebook Study Groups

This thesis reports on a qualitative investigation of learning in student-led Facebook module study groups, used by undergraduate distance learning students at a UK university. The study investigates the following issues: reasons why learners choose to use these study groups in social media; the types of learning taking place there; the nature of support there; and types of disruption experienced and its effect on student learning. The study uses a case study design to align with a constructivist, qualitative theoretical approach. Three data collection methods of participant interviews, documentary analysis of online group dialogue, and observation were used. This foregrounds the perspective of participants in various roles in these student-led groups, to prioritise student voice. The data was analysed in a thematic analysis, to identify latent and semantic themes. Many of the theory-led findings build on existing empirical research, and the explanatory concepts of connectivism, connected learning and the ethic of care are used to interpret the findings in more depth. Principal findings suggest learner experiences in Facebook module study groups converge around five themes of activity: community and relationships; academic subject learning; learning with others online; managing own learning; and difficulties and conflict. This analysis represents a typology of student activity that extends existing published empirical work, and is using the novel research context of student-led Facebook module study groups for distance learners. Types of learning that take place in the groups include the expedient acquisition of knowledge, practice of participation, and the development of digital skills. Study groups provide important relational and community supports to learners, and valued information. While Facebook also has the potential to disrupt student learning, diverse views were usually embraced constructively as an opportunity for skill development and critical thinking

Iowa State Daily (April 03, 2018)

This issue includes articles regarding, Clean Water, The Fashion Show, and Ames Bond.https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastatedaily_2018-04/1001/thumbnail.jp

The BG News February 20, 2009

The BGSU campus student newspaper February 20, 2009. Volume 99 - Issue 104https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news/9044/thumbnail.jp

Mirror - Vol. 38, No. 20 - March 27, 2013

The Mirror (sometimes called the Fairfield Mirror) is the official student newspaper of Fairfield University, and is published weekly during the academic year (September - May). It runs from 1977 - the present; current issues are available online.https://digitalcommons.fairfield.edu/archives-mirror/1862/thumbnail.jp

The Parthenon, April 10, 2018

The Parthenon, Marshall University’s student newspaper, was published by students Monday through Friday during the regular semester and weekly on Thursdays during the summer. Due to budgetary constraints, beginning with the 2016 Fall semester, the newspaper is only published two days a week. Physical issues are printed on Tuesdays and Fridays. The editorial staff is responsible for the news and the editorial content

Here, From the Passenger Seat: A Novel

What if a small but growing number of people in your city decided to stop using the Internet? What if this group held seminars, protests, and art shows all to promote their mission and gain a following? Would you argue with them? Consider joining? This is the central concept of my novel Here, from the Passenger Seat, a work with themes of friendship, grief, and growth. Follow recent college graduates and best friends Cecilia and Sibyl as they encounter the anti-Interneters. Watch as Sibyl’s Internet boyfriend shows her a little too much affection and as Cecilia struggles to comply with the imposed rules of the anti-Internet movement. Written in compliance with the Creative Capstone requirements, Here, from the Passenger Seat is the final result of several semesters of great exertion and of many lamp lit nights at my desk. There were times when I disparaged my project and myself and there were times when I felt very excited and hopeful after a work session. I hope that you enjoy the novel has resulted

The institution of linguistic dissidence in the Balearic Islands: Ideological dynamics of Catalan standardisation

Aquesta tesi descriu etnogràficament l'establiment recent de la dissidència lingüística a les illes Balears, entesa com l'assentament en el camp sociopolític de l'arxipèlag d'una creença que reivindica que el «balear», i no l'actual llengua catalana, ha de compartir oficialitat amb el castellà com a autèntica llengua pròpia. Tres associacions d'activistes lingüístics creades el 2013 són les responsables d'aquest moviment. Aquesta tesi analitza aproximadament dos anys d'activitat a les xarxes socials d'aquestes tres associacions, a més d'altres materials. L'anàlisi mostra com els activistes es van implicar en un afany per legitimar un estàndard alternatiu basat en ideologies d'autenticitat, el qual simultàniament afermava i potenciava el valor d'anonimat del castellà. Les xarxes socials van ser fonamentals per a aquests objectius, atès que van oferir als activistes un control representatiu per a articular discursos lingüístics i per a patrullar i avaluar pràctiques lingüístiques davant dels seus seguidors. Aquesta tesi també examina les implicacions d'aquests esdeveniments per a l'estandardització de la llengua catalana, mitjançant entrevistes a onze tècnics lingüístics de diferents institucions de les illes Balears i dos activistes favorables a la normalització del català. Les entrevistes van proporcionar perspectives sobre la manera com els agents institucionals controlen i practiquen la varietat estàndard. Un cop identificada una distribució vertical de les pràctiques de la varietat estàndard entre els actors institucionals, l'anàlisi se centra en l'ús de les xarxes socials que fa una tècnica lingüística que treballa en l'àmbit local. En resum, aquesta tesi presenta tres arguments: a) l'adopció estratègica d'un règim d'estàndard lingüístic pels activistes dissidents, b) l'existència d'una necessitat d'identificació en el mercat lingüístic balear, i c) la influència de la minorització sobre l'estandardització.Esta tesis describe etnográficamente el establecimiento reciente de la disidencia lingüística en las islas Balears, entendida como el asentamiento en el campo sociopolítico del archipiélago de una creencia que reivindica que el «balear», y no la actual lengua catalana, tiene que compartir oficialidad con el castellano como auténtica lengua propia. Tres asociaciones de activistas lingüísticos creadas en 2013 son las responsables de este movimiento. Esta tesis analiza aproximadamente dos años de actividad en las redes sociales de estas tres asociaciones, además de otros materiales. El análisis muestra cómo los activistas se implicaron en un afán por legitimar un estándar alternativo basado en ideologías de autenticidad, el cual simultáneamente aseguraba y potenciaba el valor de anonimidad del castellano. Las redes sociales fueron fundamentales para estos objetivos, dado que ofrecieron a los activistas un control representativo para articular discursos lingüísticos y para patrullar y evaluar prácticas lingüísticas ante sus seguidores. Esta tesis también examina las implicaciones de estos acontecimientos para la estandarización de la lengua catalana, mediante entrevistas a once técnicos lingüísticos de diferentes instituciones de las islas Baleares y dos activistas favorables a la normalización del catalán. Las entrevistas proporcionaron perspectivas sobre la forma en que los agentes institucionales controlan y practican la variedad estándar. Una vez identificada una distribución vertical de las prácticas de la variedad estándar entre los actores institucionales, el análisis se centra en el uso que hace de las redes sociales una técnica lingüística que trabaja en el ámbito local. En resumen, esta tesis presenta tres argumentos: a) la adopción estratégica de un régimen de estándar lingüístico por los activistas disidentes, b) la existencia de una necesidad de identificación en el mercado lingüístico balear, y c) la influencia de la minorización sobre la estandarización.This thesis comprises an ethnographic description of the recent development of linguistic dissidence on the Balearic Islands: the establishment of a belief within the archipelago’s socio-political sector claiming that ‘Balearic’, rather than Catalan, should share official status with Spanish as its authentic autochthonous language. Three associations of language activists created in 2013 are responsible for this development. This thesis analyses two years of these three associations’ social media activity, as well as other materials. Findings show that activists engaged in a struggle to legitimize an alternative standard revolving around ideologies of authenticity, while simultaneously ensuring and advancing the level of anonymity towards Spanish. Social media was instrumental for these purposes, as it provided activists representational control to spread discourse about language and to police language practices. This thesis also examines the implications that this development represented for Catalan standardization. I interviewed 11 language planners working at different institutions on the Balearic Islands and two Catalan language advocates. The interviews provided accounts on the ways institutional figures police the standard variety of Catalan. After finding a vertical distribution of standard practices among institutional figures, the analysis focused on a local planner’s social media practices. In all, this thesis advances three arguments regarding activists’ strategic adoption of the standard language regime, the existence of a need to identify in the Balearic linguistic market, and the role of minoritization on standardization