Social Network Enhancement for Non-formal Learning

Concern over student engagement has highlighted the inability of learning management systems (LMS) to accommodate the social side of learning. The emergence of social networks and their widespread adoption by students has opened new avenues for mediating different modes of learning. This work seeks to capitalise on the informal interactions of social networks, the structure of learning programmes and the multiple facets of collaborative approaches, in order to enhance student engagement. These are integrated into a framework which supports non-formal learning and facilitates knowledge creation and sharing through socialisation, externalisation and combination. A programme element - defined by a curriculum structure- and a collaborative element - identified by collaborative activities - are grafted onto the social fabric of Facebook. The aim of the framework is to promote engagement through a community of practice. Learners are encouraged to share tacit knowledge and co-construct explicit knowledge through social media and a dedicated collaborative tool.