SoTL Commons Conference Presenters
Return to previous page Abstract
Fostering SoTL Through Social Networking Skills Networking Skills [roundtable]
Mildred Berry (Florida Memorial University): mberry@fmuniv.edu
Jacques Bonenfant (Florida Memorial University): jbonenfa@fmuniv.edu
Eugenia Cole-Russell (Florida Memorial University): erussell@fmuniv.edu
New millennium students enter higher education with extensive social networking skills. The plethora of social networking sites available, provide endless opportunities to interact with Facebook , MySpace , Utube , Twitter , iCasts , iPods , chat rooms, gaming sites, podcasts and seemingly never-ending texting. Applying these self-motivated, intrinsic activities to education could enhance learning leading to an increase in the quality of education and in student retention rates. Social networking skills used by students, as well as their on-line site preferences, and hours per day they use these skills was obtained. Based on this information, we integrated the identified social networking skills into our respective, in-place teaching strategies and assignments. Florida Memorial University uses Universal Design for Learning (UDL) , which enables learners to gain knowledge, skills and dispositions for motivated learning. By using UDL we provide multiple and flexible methods of presentation, expression and engagement to address the needs of our diverse learners.