Critical discourse analysis of collaborative engagement in Facebook postings

Abstract

While research literature affirms the potential for social networking sites (SNSs) to democratise communication, their impact on micro-level, academic relations at university level has not been explored sufficiently in developing countries. The literature on SNSs (especially Facebook) has emphasised its appropriation for the marketing of university programs to prospective students and enhancing institutionallevel contact between university administration and students. As such, the impact of SNSs on micro-level (educator-learner and learner-peer) relations and relational power remains speculative. Mindful of how discursive types and discourses inform the construction of social power, this study employs critical discourse analysis (CDA) and educator-learners Facebook conversations to expose the exercise of relational power and social learning in these interactional spaces. Facebook postings are examined to explore academic relations and associated learner challenges like limited meaningful engagement with peers and content, superficial learning and general academic underpreparedness. The findings suggest the prevalence of formal authoritative (or hierarchical) discourses, few informal liberating (horizontal) discourses, nascent peerbased collaboration and limited learner engagement with theory. These phenomena generally point at first year students' under-developed study skills and less sophisticated literacies. The challenges and potential for transformative learning are explored and possibilities for effective engagement suggested.

How Jordanian University Students Perceive the Opportunities and Challenges of Using Facebook as a Supplementary Learning Resource?

“…RESEARCH IMPORTANCE On a global scale, there has been a serious lack of research on utilizing Facebook as an educational platform [3], [14], [25], [13], [34]. Likewise, there has been a lack of research that addressed Facebook use and role in Jordanian higher education institutions.…”

“…Consequently, the potential of Facebook in promoting collaborative and cooperative learning should be evaluated in Jordanian higher education contexts. Internationally several studies [3], [14], [13], [25], [32] were conducted to understand the abilities of Facebook for enhancing students' levels of engagement in learning. So, this issue warrants an investigation in Jordan because there is a limited published research on the subject.…”

“…However, the number of Facebook fans in Jordan was more than three million: 59% of local users are males and 41% are females [33]. In addition, socialbakers [33] indicated that the largest age group range that used Facebook in Jordan was (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24) year olds, with a percentage of 40%, followed by the (25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34) age group with a percentage of 30%.…”

Pedagogical Innovation within Facebook: A Case Study in Tertiary Education in Palestine

“…This development requires significant changes to teaching and learning practices that will empower digital native learners to acquire skills in complex problem-solving, critically reflexive analytical thinking and succinct communication, in appropriately technology-assisted contexts [1]. More recently, the emerging Web 2.0 technologies (blogs, Twitter, podcasts, wikis, social network sites (SNSs), virtual worlds, video sharing and photo sharing) have evolved to show much promise of enhanced teaching and learning practices [2], [3], [4]. Since SNSs-especially Facebook-have become an integral part of the daily life of students in HE [4], [5], faculty are being encouraged to reenvision and revise their teaching approaches and to discover, implement and assess effective technologyenriched teaching and learning processes [1], [6], [7], [8], [9].…”

Game Design Learning-Developing A Mobile Game

“…The social network of Facebook as a community is established to break the limitations of classroom learning. It advances the relationship between teachers, students, and peers [11]. It also combines the learner's social network with learning.…”