Virtual learning environments: Social networks for learning at university

Abstract

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has led to changes in the educational context; however, its incorporation in schools is not synonymous with nor a guarantee of its use as a didactic tool in the teaching and learning process. This paper presents the design, development, and evaluation of an educational experience through qualitative research methodology, with the objective of implementing a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) through social networks as a complementary tool to in-person teaching in higher education. This study was carried out in the context of an elective subject of the Psychology degree program at a public university in the west-central zone of Mexico. The participants were 74 students between 19 and 27 years old. The research design was developed in four phases that include document analysis and multiple triangulations. The first phase corresponds to the curricular analysis of the subject’s syllabus; the second to techno-pedagogical planning; the third to the development of didactic resources; and the fourth to the evaluation of teacher mediation. The social network Facebook was used because of the communication and information diffusion functions it offers, in addition to its intuitive design. Thus, key elements of how social networks can be configured were identified so that they can be used as complementary educational tools, forming a Virtual Learning Environment that promotes autonomy, collaboration, and meaningful learning.