Scripts, individual preparation and group awareness support in the service of learning in Facebook: How does CSCL compare to social networking sites?

• We applied CSCL approaches to foster domain learning and attitude change in Facebook.
• We supported argumentation scripts, individual preparation and group awareness.
• We implemented our interventions through argument graphs and Facebook Apps with promising results.
• Contrary to previous results, individual preparation and group awareness had negative effects.
• Argumentation scripts had positive effects but could not counterbalance other negative effects.

This article investigates the influence of scripts, individual preparation and group awareness support on argumentative learning in Facebook, three instructional approaches known from standard CSCL, but yet quite unexplored for learning in social networks. Social networks already afford a social component that is beneficial for interaction, which can be enhanced in a subtle way by group awareness support. However, a missing element in social networks that might be necessary for learning is structure. Individual preparation and argumentation scripts may offer structure to improve argumentation quality and complement group awareness support. We investigate the potential interactions of scripts, individual preparation and group awareness support in social networking sites on individual and group learning outcomes. We present the combined results of three studies. Contrary to previous CSCL results, we present negative results of individual preparation and group awareness support in this socially defined platform. Positive effects are found for argumentation scripts, which however cannot counterbalance the negative effects of group awareness support or individual preparation when combined with either of them. We discuss the results and their implications for leveraging Facebook’s social impact and ‘native’ interactions for learning and point out benefits and risks of using CSCL instructions in this context.