期刊名称：International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET)
印刷版ISSN：1863-0383
出版年度：2018
卷号：13
期号：5
页码：100-116
语种：English
出版社：Kassel University Press
摘要：The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a sense of community could be enhanced via learning activities delivered through a Facebook group within a self-paced distance-learning course. A closed Facebook group was created for a voluntary English as a foreign language course. Four types of learning activities were delivered via the Facebook group including both syn-chronous and asynchronous structured activities, and synchronous and asyn-chronous unstructured activities. The study was designed as convergent mixed-method study. Quantitative data were gathered from a total of 179 students by using the Classroom Community Scale; quantitative data were concurrently gathered from 17 students via semi-structured interviews. The results revealed that the sense of community among learners was found to be high, however, the type of learning activities had no effect on building a sense of community. The study was intended to guide teachers, instructors, administrators and practitioners interested in designing and delivering self-paced open and distance learning courses.
关键词：sense of community; self-paced learning; Facebook; social network sites; open and distance learning
