Novelties in the use of social networks by leading teachers in their classes

We report on a study on the ways leading teachers in secondary schools use social networks while interacting with their students. We undertook in-depth interviews with five leading teachers, and analyzed logs of interactions in order to identify teaching practices combining social networks. One teacher considerably strengthened her traditional teaching practices to control students according to a pedagogical approach of transmission of knowledge. We found that four teachers fostered social learning, autonomy and active engagement among their students. They thereby fostered the constitution of a learning community – of inquiry, or a moral community, through the use of social network sites. Additionally, we identified the distinctive role of social networks in contributing to the students’ learning to be part of their community.

Schwarz and Caduri (2016) four of the teachers encouraged students to be in inquiry or moral communities, to become autonomous and engaged in learning tasks. One of them encouraged her students to consume information and to answer ready-made questions. In four cases, SNSs helped students learning to be members of diverse communities of knowledge building. Each of the five champion teachers had personal values and beliefs about learning and teaching before they used SNSs. SNSs helPED 4 TEACHERS who probably were committed to progressive pedagogies to realize them by helping their students be part of a community of Knowledge Building. Ilana's story – the most traditional of these teachers, was also radical; with the help of FB, she could stretch her arm as far as the homes of her students to remind them what to read and when, and especially to prepare them for exams by tackling exam questions from previous years.