Learning Style Differences in the Perceived Effectiveness of Incorporating Social Networking Sites Into Formal Learning

Abstract

Although previous studies demonstrate that social media has a great potential to create an environment that integrates and enriches formal and informal learning, there is need for additional research to understand the different practical uses, and the effectiveness of social media platforms as learning tools. Learning style theory posits that learning achievement increases when learning styles are accommodated by instructional strategy, design and learning context. Therefore, the aims of this study are twofold: to examine student perceptions of informal and overall learning effectiveness of a Course Facebook Page incorporated into an instructor-based formal education setting, and secondly, to investigate the relationship between learning styles and perceived learning benefits from such a page. One hundred twenty one undergraduate students enrolled in a marketing course participated in the study for extra course credit. Results show that students favorably evaluated overall and informal learning effectiveness of a Course Facebook Page, but perceived learning effectiveness varies according to student learning styles. The research findings also have implications for the effective use of social technologies to enhance student learning, through incorporating a range of learning tools to address different learning styles. © The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology.