Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of Facebook as a primary assessment tool in a Domestic Intercultural Immersion (DII) course that was specifically designed to develop undergraduate students’ understanding of perspectives, identities, and privilege (PIP), which are key liberal education outcomes of the course. Traditional reflection methods often fall short of capturing the immediacy and depth of students’ immersion experiences. To address this issue, twenty-seven students engaged daily with course-related prompts in a private Facebook group over the eight-day period of the immersion trip. A mixed-methods approach—content and thematic analyses of student posts and a post-trip survey—was used to assess student learning and engagement. The study revealed that the students overwhelmingly preferred photography as a medium of expression through their reflections, with visual content usage increasing throughout the trip. Results from student surveys also indicated that they found Facebook accessible, engaging, and effective for capturing and documenting real-time experiences and fostering peer interaction. These findings suggest that social media platforms can serve as vital, inclusive assessment tools in experiential learning, promoting deeper reflection and intercultural awareness. The study acknowledges the limitations in the universality of the findings due to the small sample size, and inequity in students’ digital literacy and access. However, this research provides valuable insights on ongoing discourse on digital pedagogy and supports broader integration of social media in higher education assessment.