Share Paper: Using Social Media to Educate for Social Development: A Collective Case Study Comparing Facebook and E-mail as Tools for Developing Sustainable Habits in Urban Families

  1. Michel Leger, Université de Moncton, Canada
  2. Shawn Martin, Université de Moncton, Canada
Tuesday, October 16 2:15-2:45 PM Las Vegas Ballroom 6

Abstract: Adopting sustainable household lifestyles represents a difficult challenge for families. This mixed methods collective case study looks to explore the adoption of ecological actions in urban families, a context of socioecological transformation rarely examined in social science and environmental education. Taking into account the popular use of social media today, this study seeks to understand the potential role of Facebook in promoting environmental action. In other words, for families who are already intent on living sustainably, could the use of social media help bridge the gap between intent and action? To answer this question, we recruited 45 families from two ...