Worlds Collide: Exploring the Use of Social Media Technologies for Online Learning

Abstract

Models of distance education have evolved over decades, just in time to collide with modern pedagogies in which communication, interaction, student engagement, and active learning are of critical importance. The social media technologies encompass a wide variety of Web-based technologies such as blogs, wikis, online social networking, and virtual worlds. This paper examines the relevant published literature, looking at online learning activities through the prism of the defining characteristics of today’s new communication technologies.

Keywords: business education, online learning, online education, social media, new media, blogs, wikis, collaboration, crowdsourcing, mashups, convergence, social networking, user-generated content

JEL Classification: I20, L15, L21, L82, L86, M31, M37, O3