Call for Respondents: Large-Scale Research Project on the Educational use of Social Network Websites

Educational Social Software: The Use of Social Network Sites for Teaching and Learning

Please participate in one of the first large-scale studies of the educational use of social Network sites. This URL  ( https://tt1.opinio.net/s?s=9393 ) links to a survey that is an important part of a dissertation research project being conducted by Marvin LeNoue, doctoral candidate in the North Dakota State University College of Human Development and Education. This project has been approved by the NDSU Institutional Review Board, and is being conducted under the advisement of Dr. Ronald Stammen, Principal Investigator and NDSU Professor Emeritus.

I am a university instructor of ESL/academic skills courses for international students, as well as teaching online courses in the NDSU Educational Leadership graduate program. I have been using Blackboard LMS/Ning social network site mashups in the delivery of face-to-face, hybrid, and online courses for over two years now. My dissertation work involves conducting a broad exploration of the instructional use of social network sites. As part of this work, I implemented an online nominal group technique to gather input from experts in the field of technology-enhanced instruction regarding key data that needs to be gathered in regards to the educational use of social network sites. This expert input was used in authoring and refining the survey instrument linked to this message.

This anonymous, web-wide study is intended to provide insight into a paradigm shift that is occurring in the realm of digitally-mediated education delivery as more and more educators deploy social media tools in support of online, blended, and face-to-face instructional approaches. Your input will be a valuable addition to the project, and help shape future development of institutionally-hosted

course-management tools that will hopefully replicate many of the functions offered by private commercial sites like Ning.

Please take advantage of this opportunity to express your viewpoint on what is sure to be one of the most important and influential trends in education since the introduction of computer technology to the classroom. Click  https://tt1.opinio.net:443/s?s=9393  or copy and past into a browser navigation bar to complete the survey.

If you would like more information, or have any questions or comments, please contact me at m.lenoue@ndsu.edu.

Thank you,   Marvin LeNoue