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How to use social networks 'effectively'? A deconstructive pedagogical experience about the understanding and use of social networks in class.

Tue, March 24, 10:00 to 11:30am EDT (10:00 to 11:30am EDT), Hyatt Regency Miami, Floor: Terrace (Level 0), Orchid D

Proposal

Students often use their devices to interact with their peers; therefore, the possibility of promoting digital collaborative learning as an opportunity to help learners work together to achieve common goals should be considered as a real teaching-learning scenario. Critical and ongoing Action-Research guided this project to conclude on the importance of promoting a sense of community among learners by taking advantage of social networks and the several features they have to offer. Additionally, this project shed light on how to assist students in the sophistication of their 21st century skills by taking into consideration a clear picture of possible limitations. Networks undoubtedly have strong potential for the development and socialization of knowledge, promotion of research, formation of academic communities and innovation centers (Carvajal, 2017). Therefore, understanding how to make the best out of their academic applications is paramount to deal with the current learning environments, which are demanding, as well as to understand the forthcoming educational challenges.

Social networks can be better understood as a series of patterns of relationships between a group of individuals that interact as units of a set or nodes of a network with common elements or ends (Scott, 2000). Castells suggests that social networks have been recognized for their recent media impact, and the transformations they are producing in the cultural, economic and political fields; However, the existence and understanding of the social network construct is much older and has enabled paramount changes throughout history (2009). We, educators should not be oblivious to this reality.

This action-research report accounts for a deconstructive teaching approach regarding the application, monitoring and assessment of social networks within a face-to-face Adult English course at Centro Colombo Americano in Bogotá (Bicultural Learning Center), with different groups and levels of proficiency, during 2018. Data were gathered by observing and registering online and in-class activity everyday, as well as students participation in semi structured interviews, additionally, artifacts themselves, such as interactions and projects done on Google Classroom helped shaping better the findings of this implementation month by month. Analysis took place along 2018, as it was ongoing and coaxial; based on the information collected, modifications on planning, executing and sophistication of the Network previously mentioned were done day after day.

FINDINGS
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The research allows the following key aspects to be covered:

PROMOTING SENSE OF COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE. In a complex scenario like the one described, the social factor (Social Presence) is of great relevance, since the emotions and perceptions that the members have of each other play a crucial role in the development of their cognitive and social skills (Martins da Silva and Matsui, 2016). Therefore, an important activity for teachers is to observe and support the participation of students in a course in their discursive interactions to maintain the spirit of trust and mutual support (Marques, 2013). The awareness of this social presence is of vital importance to guide cognitive goals through their ability to foster critical thinking (Martins da Silva and Matsui, 2016). It also promotes the generation of emotional relationships, making the interactions attractive, involving the group and, therefore, intrinsically rewarding, which leads to greater academic, social and institutional integration (Ibid).

A-E-I-O-U OF USING SOCIAL NETWORKS IN CLASS - APPLYING, EVALUATING, INTEGRATING, ORIENTING AND UNITING. An appropriate model and monitoring of practices using social networks improves its use, increases confidence in its implementation and creates a paradigm shift towards a more personalized, participatory, collaborative learning, generating a more positive attitude towards its implementation (Seifert, T. 2016 ). Therefore, the effectiveness criterion is based on the conscious selection of fundamental aspects during the planning, execution and evaluation of classes and activities inside and outside of class (Ibid.).

DEVELOPING 21St CENTURY SKILLS. Skills such as effective communication, information management, and the development of critical thinking are fundamental in the development of students. Strategic learning is undoubtedly one of the institutional principles that allows the organization in general to build a philosophy of a totally student-centered approach, seeking the development of autonomy, while being taught how to develop and sophisticate required skills to live in the interconnected world we are living right now is not doable in class-time.


PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

Without a doubt, the implementation of social networks has mostly a large number of advantages, despite its limitations. Not only do they represent the possibility of interacting and creating social circles, but it allows learning communities to work strategically to achieve common achievements. By properly evaluating the characteristics of the networks we use daily, teachers and students can take advantage of them. In addition to this, it also allows for a permanent development of digital skills necessary to deal with current challenges. Although it is worth noting the fact that the changes that the general social media are increasingly noticeable, understanding the academic and social phenomena that take place in the school, will serve to address them in a more relevant way.

Although hard to believe, students are not used to working with an approach like this. Since it requires them to take time both to process and follow the content and learning objectives of the course, such as learning to use the tools of the network and dealing with the social-presence factor. The process of introduction and use of the network requires patience since access and training must be guaranteed to all, since any sense of exclusion can deprive a student of information or interaction, which can be vital to the development of the course. This phenomenon is described as FOMO, (Fear of missing out), which is the tendency of people to continuously follow other people, groups and news about those who are curious to see if they have shared something new (Cohen, 2013). This requires connectivity anytime, anywhere. The lack of such connectivity and its implications lead to feelings of anxiety and fear in network users (Ibid). In a second stage, if access and training have been guaranteed, the processes must be recorded in order to foster the sense of accompaniment and reduce the feeling of frustration regarding the assigned tasks (Seifert, T. 2016 ).

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