Introduction
The following seven-minute film outlines how Facebook and an enquiry-based blended learning design were used to help students develop professional social media skills and practices. The film also includes student feedback about their experiences of engaging with this learning design. Whilst related to social work, the issues, methods and lessons explored here can potentially be applied to other disciplines. An article based on this learning design is available via the British Journal of Social Work: Using Facebook to Explore Boundary Issues for Social Workers in a Networked Society: Students' Perceptions of Learning

Background
As an educator, I was aware that students who connected using Facebook during their studies could effortlessly maintain that social network once they left University. Like any other professional group, there was the possibility that once they left University these students could use these social networks to discuss future work related issues.

To enable students to learn about the potential and pitfalls of sharing, communicating and collaborating using social networks once in employment, the challenge was to find ways of equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge to use these tools professionally. To meet this challenge, this film outlines how Facebook and an enquiry-based blended learning design were used to provide students with opportunities to explore issues such as:
  • online safety
  • projecting and maintaining a professional online image
  • maintaining personal and professional boundaries
  • using social networks to develop and share good professional practice
  • working for the benefit of future service users
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Facebook was used as a site for learning because over 90% of the two cohorts represented on this film (MA and BA students) reported actively using this medium. One of the benefits of using an enquiry-based blended learning approach was that their experiences of developing their knowledge and skills on Facebook could potentially be transferred to other social networking sites.
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Using Facebook to Explore Boundary Issues for Social Workers in a Networked Society: Students' Perceptions of Learning.
​Abstract
This paper examines final-year MA and BA social work students' experiences of using Facebook as part of an enquiry-based blended learning design. A Think Family and Whole Systems module was redesigned using constructivist principles of emergent learning. This redesign enabled students to engage in life-like situations to help them reflect on the implications of using social networking sites as social work practitioners. It is suggested that student confidence in being able to outline the ethical issues, personal privacy concerns for professionals and service users, and the potential positive and negative aspects of using social networking sites for future professional development increased as a result of engaging with the learning design. To cater for the increasing use of social networks in society, a rationale for the learning design is outlined from the perspective of social work education. The paper then outlines the lessons learnt from students' engagement with Facebook as a site for learning.

Cooner, T 2013, 'Using Facebook to explore boundary issues for social workers in a networked society: students' perceptions of learning', British Journal of Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcs208