Facebook is an example of a social networking profile site. Users create profiles for themselves which are known as an individual's Facebook 'page'.
Users can invite and accept invitations from other users to be 'friends'. Many people have a problem with the term 'friend', when used in this context, arguing that the term 'contact' is more suitable. In that way a person's circle of friends can be distinguished from the many (possible 1000s) of profiles they've 'linked' to.
Users can join networks organized by city, workplace, and school or college.
Use in education
The first question to ask yourself before using Facebook in education is "Do you REALLY want to?". If you wish to simply disseminate information (such as lecture notes) then Facebook probably isn't the system to be using. There is also considerable evidence that students, especially at universities, may be resistant to lecturers and institutions encroaching on 'their' social space. Facebook is often successfully used by universities seeking to establish a 'community' of students before they actually arrive on campus. For example UWE's Fresher's group allows potential students to organise accommodation, travel, and form contacts between others on the same courses.
However, there are many educators who use Facebook in creative ways that go beyond simply encouraging engagement and a sense of 'belonging' to groups...
Further info about
Facebook and Education
- A comprehensive guide to the history of Facebook and the functionality of some of it's features can be found at... Facebook – The Complete Biography
- See this blog for more info about using Facebook in a classroom.
- A general hub for information relating to Social Media can be found at... Mashable - The Social Media Guide
Facebook currently has more than 400 million active users worldwide
A Facebook profile can be set up for yourself, other individuals, an organisation, or other groupings. It typically contains photos, text, and web links.
How do I do that?
Starting in Facebook
- Visit www.facebook.com
- Create an account with password and username
- Upload an image to be used as your Avatar (a visual representation of yourself - it can be anything)
- Enter any personal information you don't mind sharing with others
- Publish the profile to the web
- Update your status if you wish
- Search for other people you wish to connect with - send them a friend-request
- Be aware of many of the issues concerning privacy, legality, and taste that are constantly associated with Facebook
- A more detailed guide to setting up a Facebook account can be found at... How to set up your Facebook profile
Issues concerning Facebook
There are many potentially serious issues concerning Facebook. These should always kept in mind when setting up private profiles or contemplating using it for education:
- Privacy - 10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know
- Legality
- UWE IT policies regarding data and acceptable use
Useful Facebook applications for educators
You will have to have a Facebook account to view the following pages:
- Calendar. Use this calendar to keep your classes on track with upcoming assignments, tests, due dates, and more.
- Courses. Manage courses with this app that allows you to create an instructor page, manage assignments, etc
- Mathematical Formulas. Allows you to share maths formulae and their solutions.
- Webinaria. Record lectures and post them for the class to review on Facebook.
- Book Tag. Tag books for a class reading list and create quizzes.
- Language Exchange. Allows user to practice foreign languages .
- Files. Upload all the important files you want to share with students such as your class syllabus, supplemental reading material, or assignments.
- Make a Quiz!. Easily make quizzes to test your students’ knowledge and see how they score.
Page last updated 23 April 2012