Implementing Facebook-based instructional approach in pre-service teacher education: An empirical investigation

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Facebook-based instructional approach on preservice teachers learning achievement and engagement. A pre-test post-test quasi-experimental design with non-equivalent control group (CG) was employed. The effectiveness of Facebook-based instructional approach was assessed against conventional instructional approach for pedagogy of mathematics course in the pre-service teacher education program. Quantitative data were collected from two intact groups (N = 68) randomly assigned to treatment conditions. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests, analysis of variance (ANCOVA), and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). The result depicted a significant improvement in learning achievement and engagement levels of pre-service teachers of the intervention group where the Facebook-based instructional approach was used as compared to pre-service teachers of the CG where the conventional instructional approach was used. A closer analysis using MANCOVA and post-hoc comparisons further revealed that the gain in engagement was specifically higher for peer engagement and online engagement for pre-service teachers of the Facebook Intervention Group (FIG).