# Online Group Student Peer-Communication as an Element of Open Education
## 1 Introduction  
Education today is becoming more open and constantly accompanies a person thanks to information and communication technologies [1; 2; 3]. The term \"open education\" is often used in the scientific literature without proper definition. Since this form of education not only implies many diverse educational practices, some of which (massive open online courses, e-textbook and open educational recourses) are emphasized by the authors [4; 5; 6], but also determines transition of education to a new stage of development, we suggest it is necessary to denominate certain functional technologies in the definition of open education, as it is formulated by The University of British Columbia: a collection of practices that utilize online technology to freely share knowledge [7]. In [PERSON]'s denotation there are some important aspects which identify openness of education: visionary, operational and legal [8]. The European Commission's meaning of open education highlights its principal goal: widen access and participation to everyone by removing barriers and making learning accessible, abundant and customizable for all [9]. Massive open online courses, video lectures, webinars, educational applications, etc. become a part of the everyday life of many people. One may learn at any time and any place. In some situations, it is difficult for students to distinguish the interweaving of educational and non-educational activities. Updating information on social networks, in email and messengers, which are constantly monitored throughout the day, creates a rich information space where questions related to education play an important role. University teachers today actively use social media not only to inform [10; 11; 12], but also for organizing student discussions [13; 14; 15]. Students are given assignments to create diverse content [16; 17]. Many authors point out that social media creates a unique learning environment [18; 19; 20]. Several studies are devoted to the investigation of student communications; however, as a rule, we mean groups specially organized by teachers that solve a specific educational task [21; 22] sometimes with a facilitator [23] or specially organized by teachers to support the course [24; 25]. However, chat rooms of student academic groups are a recent trend. Students create them for themselves. Their role in education has been little studied thus far. Student communication using ICT is quite natural, but discussions can have different goals--entertaining, social or educational. Moreover, the latter seems to be the latest achievement. On the whole, a rather cautious attitude towards students' increase in social networks was caused by their use for entertainment and social aims but only very rarely for educational purposes [26; 27]. [PERSON], analyzing students' Facebook walls, found five main themes emerged from the data. : (1) recounting and reflecting on the university experience; (2) exchange of practical information; (3) exchange of academic information; (4) display of application and/or disengagement; and (5) \"bunter\" (i.e., exchanges of humor and nonsense) [28]. Nevertheless, the great educational potential of social media was evident to teachers and students [29]. It turned out that the use of social networks with information and educational goals has a positive effect on academic performance [30; 31]. Recent studies indicate that social networks are increasingly used by students for learning purposes [18; 32]. The university arsenal includes special groups in social networks dedicated to faculties, specific subjects or certain activities, which are primarily devoted to organizational issues related to training, as well as also include tasks and file sharing [33]. [PERSON] and [PERSON] analyzed student-led Facebook groups and revealed that educational content ranged from 10% to 100% [34].