Social networking and microblogging: educational innovation in higher education

Nowadays, new websites are created everyday. They are devoted to creating and managing social networks, create groups or communities, to keep online contact with acquaintances and the acquaintances of the latter, to share knowledge, experiences, music, photographs, etc. Thus, we are witnessing a great social phenomenon, a true revolution in the way of communicating and interacting with others, owing to the fact that new modes of social interaction, unknown before, are emerging, whereby new networks of contacts and virtual and dynamic exchanges surge among individuals, groups and institutions sharing common interests and needs (Bettinson, 2009; Espuny et al., 2011). This phenomenon is mainly triggered by the so called "virtual social networking and microblogging". However, what exactly are virtual social networks?; what is it that differenciate them from mere physical social networks?; what are the advantages and drawbacks their use can entail?, and above all, how can we make the most of them in regular and virtual teaching? Hereby will be explained different teaching experiences carried out by three lecturers from the University of Extremadura that should serve as a reflexion, experience sharing or starting point for those practitioners that are looking for innovation in the social networking area.