You’re standing at the front of a classroom delivering a dynamic lecture. But as you look out across the students you notice that many seem focused on their computer screens. What could be so alluring that students are pulled from the incredible content you’re delivering? A quick walk to the back of the room will reveal various screens of distracting tools but one that will inevitably appear more than others: FACEBOOK.

If you don’t have a profile up on Facebook, chances are you have an invite to join the site sitting in your inbox. We talk about who is doing what on Facebook, we hear about the policy changes on the news, and this weekend we can even watch a movie about just how it all started. This social networking site has exploded over the past few years as one of the most frequently visited destinations on the web. As instructors you may be intrigued – what is pulling our students (and so many of us) to Facebook? As we try to engage technologically savvy students in learning we may wonder, should we somehow incorporate Facebook into our teaching?

My answer is a resounding NO. To me, Facebook is a “private” place, a social place, a place where I can express myself to friends and colleagues with whom I CHOOSE to share those parts of myself. Any intrusion into that world from an external source would feel wrong to me. I wouldn’t want reminders of homework due dates popping up amongst pictures of my friends’ weekend stunts.

But that doesn’t mean that faculty should cast Facebook aside. Looking at the allure of Facebook, we have much to learn. The very things which draw so many of us into the social networking site can be translated into the way we design our online courses, thereby increasing student engagement and as a result, learning. Using Facebook to inform our course design decisions can, in fact, improve our online and web-enhanced courses. Here are some of the reasons so many people love Facebook, and how you can use these techniques in your course design.

We are social creatures by habit.
The reason so many people are logging into Facebook is that it allows you to engage with other people. Using this concept, you can promote online discussion and idea sharing by setting up spaces for students to converse in your Blackboard course space. Teaming students up to work on group projects can also engage students in work which would otherwise be isolating. Bringing students together will ultimately increase their engagement.

We like to know what others are doing.
Let’s face it – a lot of what we do on Facebook involves checking in on other people through their “status updates.”  Create a space where students can post updates on their progress with a particular project or paper to create a sense of community. When students encounter roadblocks, have them share those as well. You’ll be surprised how quickly other students chime in to either echo frustration or offer suggestions for moving forward.

We like to express ourselves.
The Facebook profile is the center of your Facebook experience. At the beginning of the semester, have students create profiles in Blackboard that include photographs of themselves or their families. These profiles can provide contact information, interests, reasons for taking the course, shared links. When designing activities and assessments for your course, encourage students to apply their own experiences to the questions they are exploring.

We like to share things that interest us.
Invite students to share research resources as they encounter them in their explorations. Set up journals for your students to document the work they are doing both inside and outside of the classroom. Encourage students to post about things that are going on in their town/life/media that are related to the course topic.

We love multimedia.
A quick glance at a Facebook newsfeed will reveal much more than straight text – there are images, short videos, and links to other websites. Incorporating images, audio and video into your online courses can engage students who have different learning styles, but it will also benefit students in general. Creating content in multiple formats reinforces ideas and appeals to a variety of learners. After reading through multiple articles it can be refreshing to view a quick video, interactive presentation, or listen to a podcast.

Photo Credit: Salvatore Vuono , FreeDigitalPhotos.net