Some bits and pieces (that I need to update) on research done about about facebook. Feel free to add to teh group and tag it with Facebook research (2 words)

Social networking sites, especially Facebook, are an integral part of the lifestyle of contemporary youth. The facilities are increasingly being used by older persons as well. Usage is mainly for social purposes, but the group- and discussion facilities of Facebook hold potential for focused academic use. This paper describes and discusses a venture in which postgraduate distancelearning students joined an optional group for the purpose of discussions on academic, contentrelated topics, largely initiated by the students themselves. Learning and insight were enhanced by these discussions and the students, in their environment of distance learning, are benefiting by contact with fellow students.

Students are already on FB and checking their profiles- it is less effort

e/merge 2012 - Open to Change is the fourth virtual conference on educational technology in Africa and builds on the e/merge conferences in 2004, 2006 and 2008. e/merge 2012 will take place online from 9 - 20 July 2012 and may include associated face to face events in a number of cities. The conference is primarily designed to share good practice and knowledge about educational technology innovation within the further and higher education sectors in the region, as well as to strengthen communities of researchers and practitioners.