The presentation discusses best practice approaches and metrics for evaluation that support seamless learning with social media. We draw upon the theoretical frameworks of social learning theory, transfer learning (bricolage), and educational design patterns to elaborate upon different ideas for ways in which social media can support seamless learning. To exemplify how social media can support seamless learning we follow up with presenting three case studies on the organizational level, on the program level, and on the individual level. Each case study analyzes the context for the use of social media, followed by a discussion of how social media serves as a catalyst for seamless learning.

1. Seamless Learning
Through Social
Media
Stefanie Panke
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
panke@sog.unc.edu

2. Seamless Learning
Blurring of boundaries between formal and informal learning to
create seamless learning experiences
• Student centered learning
• Learning by whatever means are available, convenient and
comfortable for the learner
• Related concept: Personal Learning Environment (PLE)

3. 10 Dimensions of Seamlessness (Wong &
Looi, 2011)
1. Formal and informal learning
2. Personalized and social learning
3. Across time
4. Across locations
5. Ubiquitous access
6. Physical and digital worlds
7. Multiple devices
8. Multiple learning tasks
9. Knowledge synthesis
10. Multiple pedagogical and learning activity models

4. Purpose
“The key is to create conditions
that motivate and inspire
students to devote more time
and energy to purposeful
activities, both inside and
outside the classroom”
Kuh, 1996
Life-long learners who can decide
when, where and how to learn
Self-identified resources
Personal learning spaces
Transformation of learning habits

5. Theoretical Framework
• Social Learning Theory: social media sharing culture
reaches learners by providing models they can follow
• Bricolage: social media allows learners to combine
bits and pieces from different domains and learning
experiences
• Patterns: Patterns offer a way to analyze working
solutions in social media in a coherent form.
Learner
Perspective
Content
Perspective
Evaluation
Perspective

6. Social Media for Organizational Learning
AACE Social Media Channels

7. Strategy: Focus Content
• Goal: Engage the community beyond conferences
• Strategy: Regular editorial content for blog, Twitter feed and
Facebook page
• Engagement rates (retweets and likes) have tripled on Twitter
• AACE’s Facebook page has over 5.000 fans.
• Blog visits continue to rise

8. Social Media at the Curriculum / Program
Level
Helmholtz Management Academy
• 38,000 employees, annual budget of more than €4 billion - Helmholtz
Association is Germany’s largest scientific organization
• Approach: Social media infused learning management system for
blended-learning approaches
• Outcomes: Lack of acceptance by trainers and participants in the
management academy
• New approach: Blog as low-threshold tool

9. Social Media Use for Individual Instructors /
Classes
Software Design Courses, TH Köln
• “object oriented programming” (OOP): 400-500 students in their 2nd
semester
• “paradigms of programming” (PP) addressed 70-90 computer science
students in their 3rd semester
• Tools: Screencasts, polling in the classroom, LMS integration
• Some screencasts were viewed up to 800 times.
• Consumption time equaled to full lecture participation of 120
students on average.

10. Conclusions
Not all seams will unravel, new seams will emerge.
When success and failure are visible, leave room for organic growth
and effective tinkering.
Thriving social media habitats require designers to understand
personal roles and boundaries.

11. Your opinion
Have you engaged with AACE’s social media channels?
What content would you like to see?