Facebook: Learning Tool or Distraction?

Abstract

The article will explore how a selected sample of secondary school students in Ontario have been using Facebook since it has become accessible to them and whether or not this use “supports the learning agenda” of classrooms as school boards have envisioned. The researchers collected both quantitative and qualitative data from 63 Ontario high school students via a questionnaire distributed through Facebook. Stating many examples of use for educational purposes, 73% of respondents reported having used Facebook for educational purposes. Of the students surveyed, only 27% said that at least one teacher had found ways to include Facebook in their lessons, and further, 77% of students believed that teachers do not support Facebook being unblocked. The results of this research point to a need for the better utilization of Facebook in classrooms and the need for school boards who choose to “embrace” the increasing popularity of social media to implement programs that better ensure teachers also feel comfortable enough to embrace this informal teaching tool.