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Chapter 22
Facebook as an Educational
Environment for
Mathematics Learning
ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors describe four successful experiments in using social networking sites (Facebook
and Edmodo) in mathematics teaching and learning, where this use depended on populating the sites
with historical mathematicians and/or mathematical phenomena. They describe two models of using
social networking sites in mathematics education, as well as the phases of working mathematically with
students when implementing each model. The authors emphasize the use of social talk as the frst step
to involve students with the learning of mathematics, as well as moving to cultural talk as a bridge be-
tween the social talk and the mathematical discourse. The experience in the four experiments indicates
that social networking sites invite student collaboration, as well as encourage their learning actions
and interactions. Teacher’s or moderator’s sensitivity is a very important factor for the success of the
experiment, especially when young students are involved. Other factors which infuenced the success of
students’ learning in social networking sites were the features of the social networking site, the properties
of the inter-disciplinary phenomenon or the mathematics produced by the historical mathematicians,
the background of the learners, and the activities of the moderator.
INTRODUCTION
Web 2.0 tools have been suggested for some years
now for social life, communication, and work in
various disciplines, especially in education (Alex-
ander, 2006; Glogoff, 2005; Pempek, Yevdokiya
& Calvert, 2009). Some of these tools are: Wikis,
blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Second Life, Wiggio,
etc. Researchers have studied the wikis’ use in
education more than any other Web 2.0 tool or
social networking site (Daher, 2010; Daher, 2011;
Forte & Bruckman, 2007; Grant, 2006). Here we
Nimer Baya’a
Al-Qasemi Academic College of Education, Israel
Wajeeh Daher
Al-Qasemi Academic College of Education, Israel & An-Najah National University, Palestine
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-7363-2.ch022