Title: Non-prescribed collaborative learning using social media tools in a blended learning course

Authors: Jeanne Lam

Addresses: School of Professional and Continuing Education, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong

Abstract: New trend of learning ways is often initiated by fast changing technology and using social media tools to collaborate is a new way of experiential learning. This paper aims at exploring the student experiences in collaborative learning using social media tools in a blended learning course. Through the in-depth exploration of the individual student interviews, the paper attempts to provide an example on the use of social media tools in learning for the institutes to plan for the learning needs due to changes on online technology. The study results confirmed the students engaged in learning through use of social media. It was found that the collaborative learning using social media tools in the course was not instructed by the teachers but was initiated by the students. The collaboration was a non-prescribed activity. This study proposes that social dimension of learning autonomy, could be considered in the community of inquiry framework.

Keywords: online collaborative learning; social media; social dimension; autonomous learning; community of inquiry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2017.084472

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2017 Vol.21 No.4, pp.449 - 466

Received: 30 Nov 2015
Accepted: 30 Mar 2016
Published online: 07 Jun 2017 *

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