Facebook: An educational support tool for teaching Earth Science

Abstract

Facebook, the multi-lingual social networking site was launched in early 2004, 80 million people are now regular visitors to the site with the purpose to effi ciently e-communicate with friends, family and colleagues. This communication involves sending messages (instant, wall posts and via an inbox), adding pictures or short movies. Ask any group of students if they are on “Facebook” and the reply will be an outstanding: “yes”! This response was echoed by the fi rst year (07/08) Earth Science undergraduate cohort (n = 78) taking the “Earth and the Environment” Module at Durham University. With an almost 100% class membership to Facebook, the inevitable question is, “does Facebook have a role in the teaching of Earth Science?”. Here I report the teaching and learning fi ndings of introducing a ‘study group’ on Facebook for the module Earth and the Environment at Durham University and discuss its merits, and possible future applications (e.g., do Facebook study groups have a place to aid the understanding of diffi cult subject matter, such as threshold concepts; cf. Meyer and Land, 2003; Planet No. 17, 2006).