Twittering informal learning and student engagement in first-year units
This chapter outlines an investigation into the utility of the online service Twitter as a tool for facilitating informal learning amongst first-year university students. Twitter was introduced to two first-year student groups, both taking the unit Web Communications 101; one group in a campus-based...
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| Format: | Book Chapter |
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Curtin University
2012
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/7870 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/24565 |
| _version_ | 1848751466511073280 |
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| author | Leaver, Tama |
| author_facet | Leaver, Tama |
| author_sort | Leaver, Tama |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | This chapter outlines an investigation into the utility of the online service Twitter as a tool for facilitating informal learning amongst first-year university students. Twitter was introduced to two first-year student groups, both taking the unit Web Communications 101; one group in a campus-based blended learning mode, which utilized traditional face to face tutorials, while the second version was delivered fully online via Open Universities Australia. The ways in which students used Twitter was recorded and examined, highlighting three main uses: socialising, resource-sharing and posing questions. Students’ perception of Twitter and its effectiveness as an informal learning tool was examined via a quantitative survey and a number of qualitative follow-up interviews. Notable differences emerged between the blended learning group and the fully online learners in terms of their attitude regarding Twitter use for facilitating informal learning. The chapter concludes with four recommendations regarding the implementation of Twitter as an informal learning tool for students. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:53:10Z |
| format | Book Chapter |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-24565 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:53:10Z |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publisher | Curtin University |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-245652021-01-25T05:50:00Z Twittering informal learning and student engagement in first-year units Leaver, Tama social media facilitation informal learning Twitter This chapter outlines an investigation into the utility of the online service Twitter as a tool for facilitating informal learning amongst first-year university students. Twitter was introduced to two first-year student groups, both taking the unit Web Communications 101; one group in a campus-based blended learning mode, which utilized traditional face to face tutorials, while the second version was delivered fully online via Open Universities Australia. The ways in which students used Twitter was recorded and examined, highlighting three main uses: socialising, resource-sharing and posing questions. Students’ perception of Twitter and its effectiveness as an informal learning tool was examined via a quantitative survey and a number of qualitative follow-up interviews. Notable differences emerged between the blended learning group and the fully online learners in terms of their attitude regarding Twitter use for facilitating informal learning. The chapter concludes with four recommendations regarding the implementation of Twitter as an informal learning tool for students. 2012 Book Chapter http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/24565 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/7870 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/ Curtin University fulltext |
| spellingShingle | social media facilitation informal learning Leaver, Tama Twittering informal learning and student engagement in first-year units |
| title | Twittering informal learning and student engagement in first-year units |
| title_full | Twittering informal learning and student engagement in first-year units |
| title_fullStr | Twittering informal learning and student engagement in first-year units |
| title_full_unstemmed | Twittering informal learning and student engagement in first-year units |
| title_short | Twittering informal learning and student engagement in first-year units |
| title_sort | twittering informal learning and student engagement in first-year units |
| topic | social media facilitation informal learning |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/7870 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/24565 |