Educators’ Impression Construction: Considering Perceived Social Media Missteps

Abstract

Social Media (SM) provide exciting instructional opportunities for educators. However, a simple Internet search reveals professional implications that have resulted from educators’ SM usage perceived as missteps. In this research, using an impression construction lens, we considered cases of educators’ SM missteps as perceived by stakeholders and as presented in the news media. From this analysis, a description of what is perceived as inappropriate teacher SM use is provided, explanations of the highlighted SM usage are considered, and a discussion of findings from an impression construction perspective is included. Results suggest impression construction in SM settings is a complex endeavor for educators that prompts varying opinions from stakeholder groups. Suggestions for professional SM use are included.

Using social media affordances to support Ill-structured problem-solving skills: considering possibilities and challenges

“…As social media preserve interactions and shared information (Boyd & Ellison, 2008), political views, religious beliefs, and personal activities potentially become available to an entire class, leading to feelings of confusion, discomfort, and embarrassment (McEwan, 2012;Owen & Zwahr-Castro, 2007). The blurry boundaries between what is private and public on social media can also create serious professional consequences for teachers exhibiting behavior deemed as inappropriate (e.g., posting pictures while holding a gun, Koehler & Besser, 2020).…”