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Social Media: Friend and Foe

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Technology-Enhanced Learning and the Virtual University

Part of the book series: University Development and Administration ((UDAA))

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Abstract

Social media tools are extremely easy to use and at the same time very hard to use as well. How should the virtual university traverse the treacherous waters of user-generated content networks with potential for viral distribution, where one’s reputation can rise and fall in the blink of a click? Should educational organizations sail down the endless stream of tweet, post, reel, like, share, react, and comment, or should they steer clear of channels and feeds? The chapter traces the rise of social media; documents common traits, platforms, and genres; and discusses both potential and pitfalls. It presents alternative platforms and provides pedagogical strategies and use cases. It concludes with recommendations for the virtual university that center effective, fair, and ethical use.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Stefanie Panke

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  1. Stefanie Panke
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Correspondence to Stefanie Panke .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Director Learning Futures and Lead Education Architect, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia

    Michael David Sankey

  2. Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Henk Huijser

  3. The Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Rachel Fitzgerald

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Panke, S. (2023). Social Media: Friend and Foe. In: Sankey, M.D., Huijser, H., Fitzgerald, R. (eds) Technology-Enhanced Learning and the Virtual University. University Development and Administration. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-4170-4_15

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