Creating a peer-driven learning network in higher education – using Web 2.0 tools to facilitate online dialogue and collaboration

In recent years there has been a growing interest in adopting social media to support students’ learning within Higher Education. The promises of social media to support learning networks and engage students in more active learning arrangements seem to be an obvious opportunity for university teachers to tap into the rich digital learning ecologies students are already part of. However, while it is well-established that students are heavy users of social media services, such as Facebook, it is equally becoming clear that they are not necessarily well-versed in terms of creating productive learning networks or engaging in web-based activities particularly related to learning or academia (Clark et al. 2009, Luckin et al. 2009). We argue that learning networks based on social media and employed for academic purposes may challenge the traditional norms and practices for both teachers and students within institutionalized learning and therefore need re-negotiation and support.