Title :
T-Buddy: Teach Buddy, a socializing medium to enhance learning
Author :
Varadarajan, Vivek ; Ganz, Aura
Author_Institution :
Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
Abstract :
We have developed and deployed T-Buddy system which is a social networking platform that significantly enhances the students´ comprehension of the class material by promoting collaborative learning outside the classroom setting. T-Buddy system includes an online forum for posting comments on specific research topics posted by the students as well as a socializing medium that allows students to add friends, form communities, send messages, etc. T-Buddy also includes a novel Peer-To-Peer (P2P) credit system. The students reported that the system made learning ¿more fun and engaging¿ and was instrumental in facilitating better comprehension of the course material.
Keywords :
computer aided instruction; distance learning; groupware; peer-to-peer computing; social networking (online); collaborative learning; peer-to-peer credit system; social networking; socializing medium; teach buddy; Collaborative work; Computer industry; Discussion forums; Educational institutions; Electronic learning; IP networks; Instruments; Peer to peer computing; Social network services; Teamwork; Internet; collaborative learning; e-learning; social networking; socializing medium;
Conference_Titel :
Frontiers in Education Conference, 2009. FIE '09. 39th IEEE
Conference_Location :
San Antonio, TX
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-4715-2
Electronic_ISBN :
0190-5848
DOI :
10.1109/FIE.2009.5350876