A Qualitative Case Study of Facebook and Its Perceived Impact on Social Connectivity

While the number of students using web-based social networks has increased, the effects of such networks on education have been unclear. Therefore, this research used a case study approach to study the relationship between social connectivity and the use of Facebook in a higher education classroom as well as the relationship between age and the use of Facebook. The intent was to understand the perceived impact of the use of a social media tool on bonding, bridging, and linking. The conceptual framework was built around the theories of social capital of Lin, Portes, Putnam, and Woolcock. The research questions addressed how the use of Facebook impacted social connectivity as part of the required interactions in a traditional undergraduate classroom and how different generations used Facebook in that setting. A self-selected sample of 13 out of 13 potential participants was used to acquire demographic data and to capture learner perceptions of their Facebook experience by way of a questionnaire and a focus group. NVivo10 content analysis software used thematic coding derived from multiple close readings of the collected data to surface relationships supporting the presence of social capital. The results indicated that learners\u27 use of Facebook influenced bridging, bonding, and linking within the classroom; however, learners wanted to keep their academic social networking separate from their personal use. The study also noted how students from different generations use Facebook in different ways. Understanding the role of social media tools may assist in innovative curriculum development that employs social networking tools, as well as help faculty determine how to use such tools to create a deeper learning experience for students

Learning to Teach Well in Any Format: Examining the Effects of Online Teachers’ Training on University Faculty Teaching

In the 2018/2019 academic year, Michigan Technological University’s Faculty Senate voted to require all online instructors to be trained in current best practices of online teaching to be able to teach fully online courses. With the onset of the Spring 2020 pandemic, Michigan Tech informed all faculty that the senate policy requiring online teacher certification would be enforced for Fall 2020. The faculty body responded by completing the required training. This study surveyed the faculty who completed online teaching training from 2019 through 2021 to determine how that training changed their approach to the design of a course, a lesson, and their teaching in general. This work found that the training provided essential pedagogical and instructional design education absent in most Ph.D. programs, resulting in self-reported improvements in both online and in-person instruction. Additionally, the experience of learning online increased faculty empathy for students