Swafford (2006) express that students’ levels of performance are higher and superior when online courses engage them in interactive actions. This engagement can be achieved too in blended and face to face courses integrating news technologies that allow work with the interactive components; content, collaboration, and communication. There are various ways to engage students in content, communication, and to collaborate in the online environment. The vast majority of students has computers at home and use much of their time to connect to social networks like facebook, twitter and other electronic games and sharing network. I think that the social networks are tools to work with collaborative projects as problem discussions, using photos to work with vocabulary or written skills. The wiki as the social network will be an easy tool to work with.
References:
Durrington, V. A., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). Strategies for enhancing student interactivity in an online environment. College Teaching, 54(1), 190−193. Siemens, G. (2008, January). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. ITForum.
