Integrating Service-Learning Into Social Media Mining Class

This paper outlines our successful integration of service-learning into the Social Media Mining graduate course, aimed at both enhancing students' comprehension of course materials and offering a valuable service to the community by addressing the susceptibility of teenagers to online misinformation. We implemented a fully integrated service-learning model where the service component became the foundation for multiple aspects of the course, including papers, class presentations, interactive discussions, and various assignments. The students in the Social Media Mining class delved into the pervasive issue of misinformation and its significant impact on teenagers, a demographic particularly vulnerable to such online manipulation. They prepared a presentation on strategies to fight misinformation, accompanied by a class project that involved developing a machine-learning algorithm for detecting fake news. Next, they delivered the presentation and discussed their project with our community partners, namely students from several high schools in our state. At the end of the semester, the graduate students engaged in self-reflection by responding to specific questions about their involvement in service-learning. Our analysis of these reflections demonstrates student perceptions on the effectiveness of integrating service-learning in the graduate curriculum, yielding not only enhanced academic outcomes but also equipping students with practical skills and the satisfaction of making a positive contribution to society.