Using a social networking site for experiential learning: Appropriating, lurking, modeling and community building

With social networking sites playing an increasingly important role in today's society, educators are exploring how they can be used as a teaching and learning tool. This article reports the findings of a qualitative case study about the integration of Ning into a blended course. The study draws on the perspectives of the students, the instructor and an outside observer to explore the intended and unintended outcomes of Ning use. As intended by the instructor, the site effectively served as an information repository and the blogs and discussion forums promoted reflection and review of each other's work. Unintended outcomes included community building and modeling, both of which are types of vicarious interaction that fall into the category of pedagogical lurking.