Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Leveraging Social Networks for Authentic Learning in Distance Learning Teacher Education

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
TechTrends Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This research examined how leveraging social networks in distance learning facilitated authentic learning in a 4-week teacher-education course. The pilot study aimed to examine the course design, and learner perceptions of social networks in distance learning. The course design was structured around nine principles of the authentic learning framework (Herrington, Reeves, & Oliver, 2010) for sustained dialogue, reflective thinking, and relevance. The intent was to facilitate authentic learning contexts, participatory activities, access to experts, collaboration, multiple perspectives, reflection, articulation, scaffolding, and authentic assessment. Synchronous and asynchronous communication was used to deliver content. Data sources included the design of learning tasks with social networks, semi-structured interviews (N = 7) with a convenient sample of graduate students, and a survey questionnaire to evaluate students’ perception (N = 8) of authentic learning and social presence in the course. Data analysis involved analyzing the course design, and participants’ perception of authentic learning and social presence in distance learning. Semi-structured interviews were transcribed, and analyzed for students’ perception of social networks in distance learning. A participant member-checked the themes for validity. The findings indicated that the course design facilitated authentic learning with meaningful social interaction and engagement. Participant perceptions indicated that the social networks facilitated authentic communication, connections, community, student agency, self-regulation, peer and instructor feedback, and personalized learning in distance learning. Perceived challenges were related to access, navigation, sustained interest, initial reluctance, and managing the simultaneous use of various social media. Implications may inform teacher educators about leveraging social networks for authentic learning across various disciplines.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akyol, Z., & Garrison, D. R. (2011). Understanding cognitive presence in an online and blended community of inquiry: Assessing outcomes and processes for deep approaches to learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 42(2), 233–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2017). Digital compass learning: Distance education enrollment report. Babson Park, MA: Babson Survey Research Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allison, M., & Kendrick, L. M. (2015). Toward education 3.0: Pedagogical affordances and implications of social software and the semantic web. New Directions in Teaching and Learning, 144, 109–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, T., & Dron, J. (2011). Three generations of distance education pedagogy. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 12(3), 80–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, T., Rourke, L., Garrison, D. R., & Archer, W. (2001). Assessing teaching presence in a computer conferencing context. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 5(2), 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arbaugh, J. B. (2005). Is there an optimal design for on-line MBA courses. The Academy of Management Learning and Education, 4, 135–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Armellini, A., & De Stefanie, M. (2016). Social presence in the 21st century: An adjustment to the community of inquiry framework. British Journal of Educational Technology, 46(7), 1202–1216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baisley-Nodine, E., Ritzhaupt, A. D., & Antonenko, P. D. (2018). Exploring social presence within an online course using twitter. E-Learning and Digital Media, 15(5), 235–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernard, R. M., Abrami, P. C., Borokhovski, E., Wade, C. A., Tamim, R. M., Surkes, M. A., & Bethel, E. C. (2009). A meta-analysis of three types of interaction treatments in distance education. Review of Educational Research, 79(3), 1243–1289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boston, W., Diaz, S., Gibson, A., Ice, P., Richardson, J., & Swan, K. (2009). An exploration of the relationship between indicators of the Community of Inquiry framework and retention in online programs. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 13(3), 67–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyd, D. M., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), 210–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, J. S., Collins, A., & Duguid, P. (1989). Situated cognition and the culture of learning. Educational Researcher, 18(1), 32–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bulu, S. T. (2012). Place presence, social presence, co-presence, and satisfaction in virtual worlds. Computers & Education, 58(1), 154–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carlon, S., Bennett-Woods, D., Berg, B., et al. (2012). The Community of Inquiry Instrument: Validation and results in online health care disciplines. Computers & Education, 59(2), 215–221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carr, S. (2000). As distance education comes of age, the challenge is keeping the students. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 46(23), 39–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang, C. W., Lee, J. H., Wang, C. Y., & Chen, G. D. (2010). Improving the authentic learning experience by integrating robots into the mixed-reality environment. Computers in Education, 55(4), 1572–1578.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Y. (2001). Transactional distance in world wide web learning environments. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 38(4), 327–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chin, K. Y., Lee, K. F., & Chen, Y. L. (2018). Using an interactive ubiquitous learning system to enhance authentic learning experiences in a cultural heritage course. Interactive Learning Environments, 26(4), 444–459.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choo, J., Bakir, N., Scagnoli, N. I., et al. (2020). Using the Community of Inquiry framework to understand students’ learning experience in online undergraduate business courses. TechTrends, 64, 172–181 https://doi-org.proxy.lib.uni.edu/10.1007/s11528-019-00444-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cobb, S. C. (2009). Social presence and online learning: A current view from a research perspective. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 8, 241–254.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cobb, S. C. (2011). Social presence, satisfaction, and perceived learning of RN-to-BSN students in web-based nursing courses. Nursing Education Perspectives, 32(2), 115–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Creswell, J., & Miller, D. L. (2000). Determining validity in qualitative inquiry. Theory Into Practice, 39(3), 124–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cui, G., Lockee, B., & Meng, C. (2013). Building modern online social presence: A review of social presence theory and its instructional design implications for future trends. Education and Information Technologies, 18, 661–685.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dahlstrom-Hakki, I., Alstad, Z., & Banerjee, M. (2020). Comparing synchronous and asynchronous online discussions for students with disabilities: The impact of social presence. Computers & Education, 150, 1–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellison, N. B., & Boyd, d. (2013). Sociality through SNS. In W. H. Dutton (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of internet studies (pp. 151–172). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garrison, D. R. (2011). Article review: Social presence within the community of inquiry framework. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 13(1), 250–252.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garrison, D. (2017). E-learning in the 21st century: A framework for research and practice (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garrison, D., & Akyol, Z. (2013). The Community of Inquiry theoretical framework. In M. Moore (Ed.), Introducing the 2013 handbook of distance education (3rd ed., pp. 104–120). Abingdon: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garrison, D., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(3), 87–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T. & Archer, W. (2001) Critical thinking, cognitive presence, and computer conferencing in distance education. American Journal of Distance Education, 15(1), 7–23.

  • Gee, J. P. (2004). Situated language and learning: A critique of traditional schooling. London, UK: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gleason, B., & Gillern, S. V. (2018). Digital citizenship with social media: Participatory practices of teaching and learning in secondary education. Educational Technology & Society, 21(1), 200–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goel, L., Zhang, P., & Templeton, M. (2012). Transactional distance revisited: Bridging face and empirical validity. Computers in Human Behavior, 28, 1122–1129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gorsky, P., & Caspi, A. (2005). A critical analysis of transactional distance theory. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 6(1), 1–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Granovetter, M. S. (1973). The strength of weak ties. The American Journal of Sociology, 78, 1360–1380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green, T., & Green, J. (2018). Flipgrid: Adding voice and video to online discussions. TechTrends, 62, 128–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenhalgh, S., & Koehler, M. (2017). 28 days later: Twitter hashtags as just-in-time professional development. TechTrends, 61(3), 273–281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenhalgh, S. P., Rosenberg, J. M., Willet, B. S., Koehler, M. J., & Akglau, M. (2020). Identifying multiple learning spaces within a single teacher-focused twitter hashtag. Computers & Education, 148, 1–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenhow, C., & Askari, E. (2017). Learning and teaching with social network sites: A decade of research in K-12 related education. Education and Information Technologies, 22, 623–645.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guldberg, K., & Pilkington, R. (2006). A community of practice approach to the development of non-traditional learners through networked learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 22(3), 159–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gulikers, J. T., Bastiaens, T. J., Kirschner, P. A., & Kester, L. (2008). Authenticity is in the eye of the beholder: Student and teacher perceptions of assessment authenticity. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 60(4), 401–412.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gunawardena, C., & Zittle, F. (1997). Social presence as a predictor of satisfaction within a computer-mediated conferencing environment. The American Journal of Distance Education, 11, 8–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gunawardena, C. N., Hermans, M. B., Sanchez, D., Richmond, C., Bohley, M., & Tuttle, R. (2009). A theoretical framework for building online communities of practice with social networking tools. Educational Media International, 46(1), 3–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamid, S., Waycott, J., Kurnia, S., & Chang, S. (2015). Understanding students’ perceptions of benefits of online social networking use for teaching and learning. The Internet & Higher Education, 26, 1–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2012). Professional capital: Transforming teaching in every school. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herrington, J., & Oliver, R. (2000). An instructional design framework for authentic learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48, 23–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herrington, J., Reeves, T., Oliver, R., & Woo, Y. (2004). Designing authentic activities in web-based courses. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 16(1), 3–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herrington, J., Reeves, T. C., & Oliver, R. (2006). Authentic tasks online: A synergy between learner, task, and technology. Distance Education, 27(2), 233–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herrington, J., Reeves, T. C., & Oliver, R. (2010). A guide to authentic e-learning. London, Uk: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hostetter, C., & Busch, M. (2013). Community matters: Social presence and learning outcomes. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 13(1), 77–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hsieh, H. F., & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277–1288.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hsu, Y.-C., & Ching, Y.-H. (2012). Mobile microblogging: Using twitter and Mobile devices in an online course to promote learning in authentic contexts. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 13(4), 211–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins, H., Purushotama, R., Clinton, K., Weigel, M., & Robinson, A. (2006). Confronting the challenge of participatory culture: Media education for the 21stcentury. Boston, MA: MacArthur Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joksimovic, S., Gasevic, D., Kovanovic, V., Riecke, B. E., & Hatala, M. (2015). Social presence in online discussions as a process predictor of academic performance. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 31(6), 638–654.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • I. Jorge (2010). Social presence and cognitive presence in an online training proram for teachers of Portuguese: Relation and methodological issues. In Proceedings from IODL and ICEM 2010 joint conference and media days, (pp. 427-435).

  • Kerr, S. L., & Schmeichel, M. J. (2018). Teacher twitter chats: Gender differences in Participants' contributions. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 50(3), 241–252.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kreijns, K., Van Acker, F., Vermeulen, M., & Van Buuren, H. (2014). Community of Inquiry: Social presence revisited. E-Learning and Digital Media, 11(1), 5–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kreijns, K., Bijker, M., & Weidlich, J. (2020). A Rasch analysis approach to the development and validation of a social presence measure. In M. Khine (Ed.), Rasch measurement. Singapore: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krutka, D. G., Carpenter, J. P., & Trust, T. (2017). Enriching professional learning networks: A framework for identification, reflection, and intention. TechTrends, 61, 246–252 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-016-0141-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lombardi, M. M. (2007). Approaches that work: How authentic learning is transforming higher education. ELI report no. 5. Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowenthal, P. R., & Snelson, C. (2017). In search of a better understanding of social presence: An investigation into how researchers define social presence. Distance Education, 38(2), 141–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luo, T., Murray, A., & Crompton, H. (2017). Designing authentic learning activities to train pre-service teachers about teaching online. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 18(7), 141–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C. Marull, S. Kumar (2020). Authentic language learning through Telecollaboration in online courses. TechTrends. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-020-00488-2 .

  • Mazzolini, M., & Maddison, S. (2007). When to jump in: The role of the instructor in online discussion forums. Computers & Education, 49, 193–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T. Menkhoff, Y. W. Chay, M. L. Bengtsson, C. J. Woodard, & B. Gan (2014). Incorporating microblogging ('tweeting') in higher education: Lessons learnt in a knowledge management course. Computers in Human Behavior, 1-6.

  • Moore, M. (1989). Three types of interaction. American Journal of Distance Education, 3, 1–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, M. G. (1993). Theory of transactional distance. In D. Keegan (Ed.), Theoretical principles of distance education (pp. 22–38). New York, NY: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris, R. D. (2011). Web 3.0: Implications for online learning. TechTrends, 5(1), 42–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murthy, D. (2013). Twitter: Social communication in the twitter age. Malden, MA: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, J. C., & Swan, K. (2003). Examining social presence in online courses in relation to students’ perceived learning and satisfaction. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 7(1), 68–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, J. C., Schnieders, R., vanBarneveld, A., Pistilli, M., & Moke, C. (2013). Improving student outcomes by using the Community of Inquiry framework to guide course redesign. In paper presented at Sloan-C annual international conference. FL: Orlando.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, J. C., Koehler, A., Besser, E., Caskurlu, S., Lim, J., & Mueller, C. (2015). Conceptualizing and investigating instructor presence in online learning environments. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 16(3), 256–297.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, J. C., Maeda, Y., Lv, J., & Caskurlu, S. (2017). Social presence in relation to students’ satisfaction and learning in an online environment: A meta-analysis. Computers in Human Behavior, 71, 402–417.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ridolfo, J., & Devoss, N. (2009). Composing for recomposition: Rhetorical velocity and delivery. Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology, and Pedagogy, 13(2).

  • Roblyer, M., McDaniel, M., Webb, M., Herman, J., & Witty, J. (2010). Findings on facebook in higher education: A comparison of college faculty and student uses and perceptions of social networking sites. The Internet and Higher Education, 13(3), 134–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russell-Bowie, D. E. (2012). Developing preservice primary teachers’ confidence and competence in arts education using principles of authentic learning. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 37(1), 60–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schuller, T., Baron, S., & Field, J. (2003). Social capital: A review and critique. In S. Baron, J. Field, & T. Schuller (Eds.), Social capital: Critical perspectives (pp. 1–38). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Selwyn, N. (2009). Faceworking: Exploring students’ education-related use of facebook. Learning, Media and Technology, 34(2), 157–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shearer, R. L., Tugce, A., Hitchcock, J., Resig, J., Driver, J., & Kohler, M. (2019). What students want: A vision of a future online learning experience grounded in distance education theory. American Journal of Distance Education, 34(1), 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schon, D. (1984). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. London, UK: Routledge.

  • Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2(1).

  • Smith, R. (2013). Virtual induction: A novice teacher's use of twitter to form an informal mentoring network. Teaching and Teacher Education, 35, 25–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Staudt-Willet, B. (2019). Revisiting how and why educators use twitter: Tweet types and purposes in #Edchat. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 51(3), 273–289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sung, E., & Mayer, R. E. (2012). Five facets of social presence in online distance education. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(5), 1738–1747.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swan, K., & Shih, L. F. (2005). On the nature and development of social presence in online course discussions. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 9(3), 115–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swan, K., Garrison, D. R., & Richardson, J. C. (2009). A constructivist approach to online learning: The Community of Inquiry framework. In C. R. Payne (Ed.), Information technology and constructivism in higher education: Progressive learning frameworks (pp. 43–57). Hershey: IGI Global.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Y. Tao (2009). The relationship between motivation and online social presence in an online class (doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest dissertations and theses. (order no. 3357909).

  • Teräs, H., & Kartoglu, Ü. (2018). Authentic learning with Technology for Professional Development in vaccine management. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 34(3), 15–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tu, C. H. (2000). Online learning migration: From social learning theory to social presence theory in a CMC environment. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 23(1), 27–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tu, C. H., & McIsaac, M. (2002). The relationship of social presence and interaction in online classes. The American Journal of Distance Education, 16, 131–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vasquez, M. V., Tate, S. L., & Harste, J. C. (2013). Negotiating critical literacies with teachers: Theoretical foundations and pedagogical resources for pre-service and in-service contexts. New York, NY: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Veletsianos, G., & Navarrete, C. (2012). Online social networks as formal learning environments: Learner experiences and activities. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 13(1), 144–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veletsianos, G., Kimmons, R., & French, K. D. (2013). Instructor experiences with a social networking site in a higher education setting: Expectations, frustrations, appropriation, and compartmentalization. Educational Technology Research and Development, 61(2), 255–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weaver, C. M., & Albion, P. (2005). Momentum in online discussions: The effect of social presence on motivation for participation. In Proceedings ASCILITE 2005: 22nd annual conference of the australasian society for computers in learning in tertiary Education: Balance, fidelity, mobility-maintaining the momentum? (pp. 703–706). Queensland University of Technology, Teaching and Learning Support Services.

  • Weidlich, J., & Bastiaens, T. J. (2019). Designing sociable online learning environments and enhancing social presence. An affordance enrichment approach, Computers & Education, 142, 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Withagen, R., De Poel, H. J., Araújo, D., & Pepping, G. J. (2012). Affordances can invite behavior: Reconsidering the relationship between affordances and agency. New Ideas in Psychology, 30(2), 250–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • York, C. S., Yang, D. Y., & Dark, M. (2007). Transitioning from face-to-face to online instruction: How to increase presence and cognitive/social interaction in an online information security risk assessment class. International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education, 3(2), 41–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Northern Iowa, 1105 Bluegrass Circle #4, Cedar Falls, Iowa, 50613, USA

    Nandita Gurjar

Authors
  1. Nandita Gurjar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nandita Gurjar.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 14 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gurjar, N. Leveraging Social Networks for Authentic Learning in Distance Learning Teacher Education. TechTrends 64, 666–677 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-020-00510-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-020-00510-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation