Software product, hosted on the Internet, which provides for the formation of connections of groups of individuals for sharing, communication, and linking between virtual profiles, which are representations of the individual (Examples: Facebook, Twitter, Academia.edu, LinkedIn).
Published in Chapter:
Cloud-Based Social Media as LMS: A Fit for STEM in Developing and Newly Developed Economies
Matthew A. Eichler (Texas State University, USA) and Las Johansen Balios Caluza (Leyte Normal University, Philippines)
Copyright: © 2016
|Pages: 12
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-9924-3.ch007
Abstract
Social media, with its ubiquitous characteristics and availability for use throughout the world, may serve as a replacement for many features typically associated with learning management systems (LMS). These systems are generally free to use, rely on robust servers with high speed connections, and are already widely used on mobile phones and other devices, unlike learning management systems, which are typically used for the duration of educational experience and then no longer available to students. Due to low budgets available for IT, universities in developing and newly developed countries may consider alternatives to the LMS, which is both expensive, and relies either on paid services or the provisioning of servers. Educators should consider potential negative aspects and positive aspects of the use of these tools in higher education before adopting for widespread use. STEM learning may be especially enhanced through the use of social networking services (SNS) as LMS.