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The pattern of social media use and the impact of medical students’ learning
Sairaa Saeed AlQeas Alqahtani @SairaaO_o and Mashael ALRowaished @Mashail_R – King Saud University, College of Medicine, Riyadh

Social media (SM) is everywhere in the society and its usage is expanding at a fast pace all around the world, especially among the students. However, little is known about how much, why and how medical students use SM and the way it affects their learning.

This study aimed to determine whether there is an association between SM use and academic grades and to assess the pattern, extent and reasons of its use among medical students.

Detailed description of short paper


Experiences of social media in higher education: Barriers, enablers and next steps
Alison Purvis @DrAlisonPurvis, Helen Rodger @HelenRodgerSHU and Sue Beckingham @suebecks – Sheffield Hallam University

The focus of this study investigates current institutional practice of the use of social media to support and enhance learning.

Our short paper shares survey findings; highlighting both enablers and barriers for what is for many, still considered innovative practice where peers are calling for guided support.

Detailed description of short paper

Can social media foster our learning? We are doing it anyway, even without your help! An exploration into the evolution of a student-led social networking group to support collaborative learning
Alison Hartley @AlisonSHartley – University of Bradford

Hear what learners themselves are saying about the pedagogic possibilities of social media from a bottom-up, student-led approach to collaborative learning.

How and why does such a community evolve?  Is it influenced by their classroom experiences?  How can this impact on our own educational practices within these shifting pedagogies?

Detailed description of short paper

The role of social media in undergraduate pharmacy education

Alyson Brown @alyjbrown and Brian Addison @BrianAddison75 – Robert Gordon University

Aim: to explore how undergraduate pharmacy students define and use social media to support their education

Outcome: potential for using social media to support learning was recognised; concerns raised about the implications as future pharmacy professionals

Key focus: widespread use of social media amongst undergraduate pharmacy students but awareness of the potential implications of their online behaviour shaped its use

Detailed description of short paper
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Morality, social media and the educational researcher

Leigh-Anne Perryman @laperryman and Tony Coughlan @tjcoughlan – The Open University

Educational research in social media spaces involves moral dilemmas often absent from traditional ethical guidelines. For example, the public/private distinction can be blurred, individuals can be prone to confessional activity, and informed consent can be difficult to obtain. Here, we discuss how the responsible researcher might manage such challenges.

Detailed description of short paper
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Using Facebook groups to promote deep learning and increase student engagement in the College of Science & Engineering

Sarah Honeychurch and Shazia Ahmed @ShaziaAhmed – University of Glasgow

Five years ago Facebook groups were set up for Level 1 Mathematics and Computing students as an alternative to Peer Assisted Learning sessions. Due to their success more have been introduced and we now have subject groups for the whole College of Science and Engineering.

Detailed description of short paper
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Interaction models for social media in teaching

Babak Esmaeili – University of Edinburgh

Effective pedagogic use of social media often requires the ability to locate tools which support a particular type of interaction. We discuss our attempts to identify and formalise these types of interaction, and show how this can be used to aid (and perhaps automate) the selection of appropriate tools.

Detailed description of short paper
Audio recording of presention