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Presentation to 21st Academic Forum, Berkeley on 21 August 2014. This session presented the results of research into how Twitter is being employed by educators to support their professional learning. Based on the research results, the presentation outlined the advantages of Twitter as a professional learning tool and the implications this has for practice and for further research.
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Twitter as a Professional Learning Tool:
Implications for Practice and Further
Research
Carol Skyring
Berkeley, 21 August 2014
@carolskyring
The study
To examine the use of Twitter by
educators to support their professional
learning and to investigate the value
that educators place on Twitter as a
professional learning tool.
Methodology
exploratory case study
three phases of data collection and analysis
COLLECTION 1
3855 Twitter posts
collected from 300
educators (24hrs)
ANALYSIS 1
Content analysis
of Twitter posts for
themes (CoI)
PHASE 1
COLLECTION 2
Online survey to
further explore
themes
ANALYSIS 2
Survey analysis and
identification of
interview subjects
PHASE 2
COLLECTION 3
One-on-one
interviews with 9
educators
ANALYSIS 3
Interview analysis
for deeper
understanding
PHASE 3
Data
Twitter activitiesShare a resource e.g., website, book, video
Follow a link posted by someone in your network
Read activity updates of others in your network
Save a resource posted by someone in your network
Act on something you’ve read in a post
On-share a resource posted by someone in your network
Twitter activities (cont.)
Engage in a conversation with someone in network
Go back to a saved resource posted by someone in network
Use hashtags (#)
Search for content
Ask for a resource on a specific topic
Share information from a conference/workshop using#
access to timely information
making diverse and global connections
access to valuable resources
access to advice and support
ability to attend a conference “virtually” by following the hashtags posted by others
engaging in conversations and discussions
access to experts
keeping up with current trends
extending their networks beyond their local area
reciprocity
learning
Advantages
Disadvantages
amount of information
time spent (can be “addictive” “irresistible”)
recognition as legitimate learning
Implications for practice
overcome poor perception of Twitter
certain knowledge and understanding of conventions needed
staged introduction to people and existing networks
Further research
More experienced behave differently – benefit to newbies being accelerated along this path?
How is this learning transferred into practice?
Comparative research into Twitter use in other professions.
Attitudes of non-users and why they are not using Twitter for professional learning.
Further information
http://eprints.qut.edu.au/65854/
@carolskyring
www.carolskyring.com
