What is it about social media that is so attractive to students, and could the motivational drive of social media for connectivity be used for positive educational purposes?

1. Social Media Use in Higher Education A study by Michael Wilder University of Nevada, Las Vegas

2. Research Question Why do students in university library computer labs spend time engaged in online social activities while also working on other educational tasks?

3. Methods In order to encounter previously unobserved cultural behaviors through open-minded exploration, the study lent itself to qualitative research methods.

4. Methods Location: UNLV Lied Library Information Commons & Computer areas

5. Methods Map

6. Methods Participants College students Primarily between eighteen and twenty three One or two older than forty Evenly divided gender Mixed ethnicities (African American, Asian, Caucasian, Hispanic, Pacific Islander)

7. Methods Timeframe Three half-hour observations Wednesday, June 9, 2010, from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 11, 2010, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:00p.m. Thursday, June 17, 2010, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Summer School Second session

8. Methods Technique Observed student on-screen activity in the labs by walking behind rows of computer tables and taking field notes Interviewed four students that were engaged in social media Interviewed a reference librarian

9. Data Analysis Taxonomy Student activity categories Information finding Information processing Artifact creation Knowledge assessment Social interaction

10. Data Analysis Domain analysis

11. Data Analysis Interview Questions How often do you check your social media account? How often do you keep social media Web sites active while simultaneously working on educational tasks? Do you perceive any negative effects of using social media on your educational performance? What is it about social media that is so attractive?

12. Data Analysis Representative interview responsesHow often do you check your social media account? “I check my Facebook page at least five times in a sitting.” “I check my Facebook page at least every thirty minutes.”

13. Data Analysis Representative interview responses How often do you keep social media Web sites active while simultaneously working on educational tasks? “Facebook is usually on the entire time I’m writing a paper.” “I use it as a kind of break in between paragraphs…a little escape from the homework.”

14. Data Analysis Representative interview responses Do you perceive any negative effects of using social media on your educational performance? “I started getting into Facebook last year, and I’m pretty much getting straight A’s, so I haven’t seen any adverse effects to my studying since I’ve used it.”

15. Data Analysis Representative interview responses What is it about social media that is so attractive? “I feel connected even though I’m stuck in the library, not having a life.” “My friends are readily available.”

16. Findings Student online activity in a university library can be placed into five categories. Some students multitask/rapid task switch. Facebook is the online social media application of choice (over Twitter or Myspace). Ten to twelve percent of students are on Facebookat any given time.

17. Findings Students are attracted to social media because: They can communicate with family and friends; They can receive inside information not available elsewhere; They can take a momentary mental escape from educational tasks; They can feel connected with peers even though they are isolated.

18. Conclusion The need to interact and feel connected is a primary characteristic of our society. As educators, we can capitalize upon this drive for connectivity by building opportunities for communication and collaboration in our online curriculum.

19. Conclusion If we can incorporate social media techniques in our online courses, perhaps we can engage students in a networked community of learning. Otherwise, our students will feel the need to be connected elsewhere.

20. Author Contacts This presentation by: Michael Wilder Learning Technologies Specialist E-mail|Web Site