Copyright

Kawachi Kawachi

Published On

2019-06-30

Page Range

pp. 95-106

Language

  • English

Print Length

11 pages

9. Role of Social Media in Learning

Benefits and Drawbacks - How Social Presence Theory Explains Conflicting Findings

Chapter of: Social Media in Higher Education: Case Studies, Reflections and Analysis (pp. 95–106)

Kawachi shows that social media can help students establish a social presence on their course, but once that role has been created it can be a distraction from engaging in collaborative learning activities. Paul makes reference to social and virtual presence to explain why the use of Facebook has led to improved learning in some case studies, but less learning in others.

Contributors

Paul Kawachi

(author)
Professor of Instructional Design at Open University of China
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1623-4181

Paul Kawachi is Professor of Instructional Design at the Open University of China, with thirty years' experience teaching in higher education mostly in Japan. Currently he works in materials development, teacher training and undertakes research at the Open University of China. He is a lifelong student with a wide range of research interests in teaching English and using learning technologies. He is the editor of the Asian Journal of Distance Education, and has published prolifically throughout the world in books and leading academic journals. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-kawachi-8612a415/