Abstract
In Foreign Policy (FP) Courses, the study of a case plays a significant role in not only keeping the students well-informed about the current situations but also helping them comprehend, analyze and evaluate the FP theories and frameworks they have been taught. As one practical way to overcome the time, space and resource limitations of weekly face-to-face classes, Facebook's closed groups have been used by the teacher and students in the class of American Foreign Policy after World War 2 in University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS), Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU).
This study explores the use of Facebook's closed groups in four ten-week case studies conducted by four groups in a class of third-year students. The findings show that Facebook's closed groups encourage greater integration among students and between students and teachers. The students effectively and willingly use the groups to share ideas, express themselves, support each other, raise questions and participate in discussions. The regular posts that the students contribute to their groups also help their classmates keep track of the events, facts, figures and opinions shared by the public. The research, in addition, provides a framework for using Facebook's closed groups to advance university students' learning and enhance the harmonious blend between online and in-class activities. It also suggests the assessment criteria for teachers who use social networking as a tool to continuously evaluate the learning and teaching procedures.
Author Information
Anh Hoang, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Vietnam
Comments
Powered by WP LinkPress