(June 29, 2015) Social-networking
sites such as Facebook can help students learn scientific literacy and other
complex subjects that often receive short shrift in today’s time-strapped
classrooms.
In a first-of-its-kind study, Michigan State University’s
Christine Greenhow found that high school and college students engaged in
vigorous, intelligent debate about scientific issues in a voluntary Facebook
forum.
Such informal learning not only could supplement the content
knowledge students acquire in class, but also connect them with professionals
and experts in the field, spur interest in careers and inspire civic
engagement.
“One of the things we struggle with as educators is how to
take students’ spark of interest in something and develop it in ways that can
serve them,” said Greenhow, assistant professor of educational psychology and
educational technology. “If students had these kinds of niche communities to be
part of, in addition to their formal curriculum, that could really provide a
rich environment for them.”