Abstract
Social media has rapidly evolved to become a powerful communication tool in an increasing global, online world. As the online communities developed, innovators working within the higher education sector have experimented with social media platforms to enhance engagement and facilitate critical digital literacy skills among their students.
This book evolved from a podcast and blog by the editor Chris Rowell. The case studies were facilitated through ‘crowd sourced’ contributions of professionals working in the higher education sector across the UK. The contributions are divided into six broad themes, namely professional practice, teaching and learning, leadership, building networks, innovation, and the personal journey into the ‘social’ realm.
The book is written with a range of users in mind and employs a #hashtag system to recommend chapters to #beginning #intermediate #advanced social media users. It is designed to be accessible and mimics the language and style of writing used on social media and facilitates learning by doing.
In addition to each author’s contribution, the book provides links to an associated podcast. Each podcast is an informal interview with the author of the chapter and explores their work, how they integrate social media into their practice, and the successes and challenges they have faced.
The podcasts are not overly polished but are easy to listen to. They provide the listener with further context and the chance to dig deeper into the motivations of the author and gain a unique insight into the development of these platforms and their use over time. Although they may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the editor’s use of podcasts further demonstrates a variety of ways social media platforms can be used to share new knowledge, thus deepening and enriching the learning experience. I enjoyed exploring the different podcasts: some were contributors’ reflections on the continuous evolution of the medium while also providing an opportunity of ‘learning by doing’ or in this case ‘learning by listening’.
In the teaching and learning section, the role of social media in learning and the evolution of their use as teaching and assessment tools within the higher education sector is discussed. The authors share innovative ways which they have used to integrate social media platforms such as Instagram, and Pinterest into their teaching to engage digitally savvy millennials to become more creative and facilitate reflective practice. These case studies are easy to understand and are aimed at different levels of social media users which can be easily adapted to classroom or online use.
The book also shines a light and offers reflections on the curating and maintaining of online profiles over time, the power of ‘influencers’, networking and connections, online security, ‘truth’, and representativeness. In addition, it explores different ways teachers encourage students to examine critically the power and politics behind digital technologies. Examples include encouraging students to actually read ‘privacy statements’ with a view to really understanding how their data will be collected and stored, or looking at the politics behind algorithms under ‘surveillance capitalism’.
The book is a great resource for people involved in professional development training of academic and support staff within the higher education sector as it has the ability to upskill a range of learners through its case studies and reflections. It could be easily adapted into modules or be used as a standalone text as part of a professional development program or teaching resource.
Social Media in Higher Education: Case Studies, Reflections and Analysis helps to scaffold different learners from #beginner to #advanced and even facilitates learning by doing through the use of podcasts and case studies. In addition, it not only provides a unique insight into the evolution of social media but also encourages readers to reflect on the increasingly blurred lines of public and private digital realms.