Health and Physical Education Teacher Education 2.0: Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions on Developing Digital Twitter Skills

Abstract

The advent of Web 2.0 technologies such as Twitter are reflective of an improved capacity for global educative collaboration. Yet there is an absence of research determining the potential of social media within Health and Physical Education Teacher Education (H-PETE). The aim of this paper was to therefore determine pre-service teachers' (PSTs) perceptions of the potential of using Twitter within H-PETE training. The study was underpinned by a constructivist online learning framework. PSTs (n=35) enrolled at a regional Australian university were recruited to participate via online survey. Themes revealed PSTs perceived Twitter could be valuable during H-PETE for facilitating learning, technology engagement, capturing international insight, enhancing collaboration and communication. In contrast, PSTs described potential barriers to using Twitter relating to receiving adequate training, privacy, excessive technology use, determining Twitter's functionality and application across educational contexts. Unpacking PSTs' perceptions of the potential of Twitter within H-PETE can contribute to the pedagogical decisions made by teacher educators to improve social media uptake in PSTs.

Social Media use in Initial Teacher Education: Lessons on knowing where your students are

“…In relation to ITE degrees, social media use highlights how connections made can assist PSTs to transform their connections to the profession (Bull et al, 2008;Carpenter, 2015;Carpenter & Morrison, 2018;Harvey & Hyndman, 2018;Hyndman & Harvey, 2019;Kelly & Antonio, 2016;Lemon, 2016;Paris, Boston & Morris, 2015;Nielsen, Moll, Farrell, McDaid & Hoban, 2013;Wright, 2010). Connection and networking offered by social media in ITE contexts can support PSTs development of linking to their peers (Carpenter, 2015;Carpenter & Morrison, 2018;Duncan-Howell, 2008;Lemon, 2016;Hyndman & Harvey, 2019) while honing reflective practice that illuminates the individual value of skill development associated to the act of being a teacher (Wright, 2010). Use also supports the shift of feeling isolated while in educational settings during the professional experience component of PSTs studies with opportunity for access to conversation with peers, lecturers and the profession and global resources to support their confidence to articulate professional growth (Bull et al, 2008;Carpenter, 2015;Carpenter & Morrison, 2018;Lemon, 2016;Lemon, Molloy & Hocking, 2015).…”

“…In integrating social media into ITE, it has however, been reported that it is not uncommon for PSTs to not be aware of personal to professional transfer of use (Lemon, 2016;Nielsen et al, 2013;Mendez et al, 2009), with authentic connections required (Hyndman & Harvey, 2019;Lemon, 2019). This provides opportunity to support PSTs capacity to consider how platforms that exist beyond the university learning management systems can support a crucial element in authentic adaption for both professional development, and to supporting teaching of ITE content (Bull et al, 2008;Lemon et al, 2015;Hyndman & Harvey, 2019).…”

“…Both reflection and documentation are valued also in ITE degrees as a way to bridge the perceived gap between theory and practice. Reflective practice via social media use highlights the opportunities to observe and interact in authentic real-life classrooms and current educational debates (Bencze et al, 2003;Bullock, 2012;Lemon, 2014aLemon, , 2014bHyndman & Harvey, 2019;Newhouse et al, 2007). This use of social media can support open dialogue, and reflective and metacognitive thinking in association to professional development.…”

“…This is a three-year study and we report on the first pilot focusing on the use of Twitter. For this pilot, we viewed Twitter as a platform for use within ITE degrees as a way to support the formation of a community across multiple cohorts and to access resources from those already in the profession while acknowledging this is a commonly accessed social media platform by teachers in the profession (Carpenter, 2015;Carpenter & Morrison, 2018;Hyndman & Harvey, 2019;Lemon, 2016;Lemon et al, 2015). The formation of a community and ongoing reflective practice is seen as critical to extend knowledge and develop reflective practice skills.…”

“…Affordances are present that allow for real-time interaction, permitting opportunities for immediate and anytime, anywhere feedback, and learning via engagement with multiple voices. In initial teacher education (ITE) degrees, research is reporting the benefits that social media has for assisting pre-service teachers (PSTs) (for example Carpenter, 2015;Carpenter & Morrison, 2018;Hyndman & Harvey, 2019;Lemon, 2016;Paris, Boston & Morris, 2015;Nielsen, Moll, Farrell, McDaid & Hoban, 2013;Wright, 2010). Findings indicate social media use across various platforms can transform PSTs understandings and values regarding the content and processes used to create and co-curate content that supports both their development of pedagogical understandings and connections to the profession (Bull, Thompson, Searson, Garofalo, Park, Young & Lee, 2008;Bullock, 2012;Lemon, 2014a;2014b;Nielsen et al, 2013;Mendez, Curry, Mwavita, Kennedy, Weinland & Bainbridge, 2009;Pilgrim & Bledsoe, 2011;Prestridge et al, 2019;Whyte, 2014;Wright, 2010).…”