Microblogging for strengthening a virtual learning community in an online course

Abstract

This paper examines how a microblogging tool (i.e., Twitter) can be effectively used to strengthen a virtual learning community (VLC) in the two sections of a fully online graduate course. Students in this course were consisted of K-12 teachers, school technology specialists, corporate trainers, and military personnel. The microblogging activities were designed to allow quick peer interaction to build the momentum of social learning in the VLC. In this study, we collected quantitative data on sense of community through a Likert scale survey, and rich qualitative data on students’ perception about microblogging activities. It was found that students’ sense of community was generally high and students were positive about their microblogging experiences. In addition, microblogging was found to be useful and valuable in sustaining students’ learning by doing such as sharing real-world design examples, critiquing design examples with technical knowledge learned in class, and quick and short commenting with peer support in a VLC. Based on the findings, the authors aim to provide design suggestions for educators and instructional designers to incorporate this social web tool in strengthening virtual learning communities in a meaningful and engaging way.

Adoption of Mobile Applications for Identifying Tourism Destinations by Travellers: An Integrative Approach

“…This study found that there are many factors that determine the impact of mobile users on tourism -factors such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, e-servicescape environment, and eWOM communication. This result is consistent with previous studies using TAM models (Hsu et al, 2011). Consumers accept mobile apps because they are more likely to accept apps if they are perceived as useful and easy to use.…”

Microblogging in Higher Education

“…The success of microblogging in comparison to blogs is the ease of use and lightweight technology in order to follow up on the conversation and provide immediate input (Ebner, Lienhardt, Rohs, & Meyer, 2010). Moreover as mentioned by Hsu and Ching (2011), microblogging is among the social media technologies that encourages conversation, and facilitates collective knowledge and content creation. In microblogging, users may explore, follow, reply or forward each other's posts, allowing interactions and collaborations to take place among people from virtually any corner of the world (Java et al, 2007).…”

“…Microblogging can also be used to promote interaction, exchange of ideas and sharing of resources among students and the instructor (Click & Petit, 2010;Ebner & Maurer, 2008). Additionally Hsu and Ching (2011) argue that microblogging in combination with "learning by doing" approach promotes knowledge construction and community building processes. A microblog can help students to take creative risks, demonstrate critical thinking and make sophisticated use of language and design elements.…”

Professional development for enhancing technology-integrated pedagogical practice: An ethnographic study in a Maldivian teacher education context

“…Furthermore, some researchers examined specific activities that could take place in the knowledge sharing spaces and communities. For example, micro-blogging such as Twitter can strengthen students' virtual learning experience to encourage students' effective collaboration and their reflective thinking (Grosseck & Holotescu, 2008;Hsu & Ching, 2011;Wright, 2010). Lim and Oakley (2013) argued that technologies enable students to enrich their understanding and develop their thinking through a multitude of sources and technological resources such as images, videos, podcasts, e-Portfolios, and blogs.…”