Homework on the Facebook: an alternative pedagogical strategy in elementary school

Abstract

We are in the midst of a highly connected generation, due to the popularization of the Internet. It brought social networks, especially Facebook. Knowing the interest of adolescents in this social network, and realizing that fewer and fewer students have done their homework proposed by teachers, this study aimed to: propose differentiated extracurricular activities with the use of technology; compare the accomplishment of the requested homework on paper with those published on the social network; verify if students would show interest in doing homework if it were available on Facebook; evaluate the potential of Facebook as an alternative teaching and learning pedagogical tool. For this purpose, a study case was conducted with 21 students in the 8th grade of Elementary School of a public school in the municipality of Lajeado/RS/Brazil through a quantitative and qualitative approach. The students were offered, in the subject of Science, pedagogical activities in two ways: printed material (Xerox copy) handed out in the classroom, and digital media (Facebook), available in a private group, restricted to the teacher and students. Only 38% of the students accomplished, at least, one of the activities in the proposed modalities. Of these, less than 10% performed tasks in both modalities. Even though the students’ adherence in doing homework was low, we believe that the social network Facebook has potential as a pedagogical tool, since the highlights of the research occurred in the digital mode (62%), more detailed studies on the subject are needed.