SOCIAL MEDIA IN BLENDED LEARNING

In this paper we review some of the advantages of blended learning, and discuss how they may be strengthened by the use of social media applications in teaching courses. Several types of social media, their use in the teaching situation and their effects on the learning results are considered. By using state of the art Web 2.0 based technology in blended learning, achievement of the learning goals may be drastically improved. Both the students collaborating in producing the learning material and the effects of community, peer reviews and interaction facilitated by social media in a course, are important factors for change in this direction. Examples of using social media in blended learning from our own institution are presented, and results discussed. Recommendations and best practices for use of specific social media to strengthen different factors of blended learning are given.