Facebook in higher education: An Auto ethnographic journey entering into edu-social space

Abstract

This researcher uses auto ethnography within an education context. The author explains their experiences in attempting to research Facebook and other websites and innovation in their organisational setting. They propose that Facebook be used as an effective teaching and learning platform. Their research is best derived from a methodology that enables an analysis of her lived experiences of the using Facebook for educational purposes. Readers are approached through the narrative genre that tangibly illustrates the research paradigm they proposed and engages in. By co-constructing the auto ethnography as they proceeds in their research, the validity of their research is enhanced. It is proposed that the impact of their writing and of the readings they cite, in this auto ethnography on the use of Facebook, is at least as effective as is the cognitive impact of mainstream objectivist organisational research into educational teaching and learning platforms.

Keywords

• higher education
• social media
• edu-social space
• teaching and learning environment