“I Found Myself Retweeting”

Abstract

This chapter describes a mixed-method, multiple case study that examined ways in which synchronous educational Twitter chats were used, first, to enhance graduate and undergraduate university student learning, second, to build professional networks, and third, to provide a loosely regulated means to achieving self-determined professional development goals. Findings suggest that while difficult at the onset, participation in Twitter educational chats was an enhancement to students' overall course learning experience. Specifically, university students' use of chats for educators helped them achieve social presence in this virtual environment, as well as to better understand the connections between positive student-teacher relationships and K12 student learning. Included are recommendations for use of Twitter synchronous educational chats in the college classroom as well as future directions in research.

A Window, Mirror, and Wall: How Educators Use Twitter for Professional Learning

“…Researchers have also examined how different educational groups use Twitter chats as a method of professional learning. Recently, multiple studies have focused on preservice educators' participation in Twitter chats as a beneficial form of professional learning (Carpenter & Morrison, 2018;Delello & Consalvo, 2019;Krutka, 2014;Mullins & Hicks, 2019;Riech, Levinson, & Johnston, 2011). Adjapong et al (2018) found that educational participants who took part in a #HipHopEd Twitter chat found a sense of belonging within the chat community and reported that the professional learning they engaged in as part of these chats had an impact on their instructional practice; additionally, a majority of participants self-reported that #HipHopEd chat participation "impacted their practice by specifically encouraging them to be more engaging educators, possibly by gaining tools that supported the teaching to the specific needs of their students" (p. 34).…”