Compendium of effective practice in higher education: Volume 2

Managing practicalities
Managing the practicalities of living away from home in an unfamiliar environment and obtaining information related to the
university was another focus for student concern. The most popular thread was called “Ask any question”, which enabled
students to find out information accordingly. Students were also pro-active in starting their own discussion threads if they
needed information. This accounted for 20% of all student-initiated threads. Equally, students seemed content to answer one
another, or direct one another to information. In cases where specialised information was needed, the Students Union or the
appropriate staff member provided information. These interactions highlight that the students were both interested in
practical information and pro-active in obtaining it. Their interactions were guided by personal need and shaped accordingly:
“I’m disabled. So I was a bit unsure about how I was, you know, how I’d go about finding [Disability Services] and what I could
do, and what sort of help they’d give [. . . ] I did ask a few questions I wasn’t sure about. So, I asked those myself.” (Excerpt
from student interview)
No major difficulties were associated with the implementation of the site. However, encouraging staff participation requires
consideration. The evaluation highlighted that students are keen to engage with one another and less interested in accessing
generic learning activities. Nevertheless, they are eager to engage with their course and seek out information, resources and
activities specifically related to their chosen field of study. Direct personal and personable presence of subject-teaching staff
members in the environment seems to be central in determining this and provides the basis for potentially powerful
opportunities for learning.
Conclusion
There has been considerable success in using an SNS when the technology is used in a way that ‘plays to its strengths’ (that is,
to connect with others and convey information). When the technology was used in line with its affordances in this way,
learning opportunities seemed to occur spontaneously. This is in marked contrast to students’ attitudes to and (lack of) use of
more generic, ‘impersonal’ learning activities, which were largely ignored. While student problems during first year are often
related to a lack of study skills (Winterson and Russ, 2008; Cook and Leckey, 1999), students themselves seem, initially at
least, to be far more concerned about establishing social connections, evidently with each other, but also with subject teaching
staff.
In contrast, where subject-related teaching staff members were seen to be available, students sought information and engaged
with materials in a way that could be usefully built on within the physical teaching environment. This is both apparent in the
interest demonstrated by students contacting staff, and as expressed by staff, who note the benefits of engaging with students
before their arrival:
“It meant that the first week was a little bit more informed. Rather than just being a lecturer at the front who spoke to a
hundred people, I could get in to know a couple of the individuals, which was nice. What I was able to do [knowing that some
students had accessed resources] was reference some of that in the conversation, and they would know what I was talking
about. And that was very, very useful in terms of that engagement: breaking it down rather than being just a cold lecture [. . . ]
it became something that was a little bit more vibrant, really.” (Excerpt from staff interview)
It is telling that this learning-related activity took place solely via direct messages to staff profiles, rather than in the public
discussion forum, perhaps reflecting Greenhow’s (2009) assessment of the benefits of SNSs to afford useful effective academic
behaviour.
HEIs would benefit from the extended provision of opportunities for pre-entry engagement of students afforded by SNSs such
as Ning. While students will naturally engage with these resources in a way that promotes social engagement, a real benefit in
terms of academic engagement may result from the semi-formal involvement of staff. In order for proper space to be created
for such staff–student interactions, it is recommended that training and orientation to social networking affordances be made
available.
References
Cook, A. and Leckey, J. (1999) Do expectations meet reality? A survey of changes in first year student opinion. Journal of
Further and Higher Education. 23 (2), 157–71.
Ellison, N. B., Steinfield, C. and Lampe, C. (2007) The benefits of Facebook friends: social capital and college students’ use of
online social network sites. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. 12 (4), 1143–168.
Greenhow, C. (2009) Social network sites and education: Emerging research within CSCL. In: A. Dimitrakopoulou (ed.) CSCL
2009: Proceedings of the International Society of the Learning Sciences Computer-supported Collaborative Learning Conference: Rhodes,
Greece, June 10–12.
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