“Think bigger about science”: Using Twitter for learning in the middle grades

Abstract

This article examines the use of Twitter as a learning tool in a middle grades science classroom. Relevant research, the direct experience of the teacher leading this unique initiative, and the invaluable perspectives of his middle level students are included to inform interested stakeholders. Following a discussion of open versus closed digital environments, a rationale for why open forms of social media, like Twitter, can be appropriate for middle grades students is explored. The ways in which one author integrates Twitter into his teaching is then described before student outcomes are explained, including the voices and perspectives of students themselves. Finally, the challenges teachers might face in using Twitter with students are discussed and recommendations are offered for those considering integrating social media into their pedagogy.

University Students’ Use and Perceptions of Telegram to Promote Effective Educational Interactions: A Qualitative Study

“…In their reflections, the students explained how using the overhead projector to display the Telegram discussions provided them the opportunity to see all the students' replies and compare their answers with others, as well as examine the variety of thoughts and views. This concurs with the SNS use identified by Becker and Bishop [29], who stated that reading others' writing, as presented with an overhead projector, helps students improve their own writing and learning through comparing their work with that in their peers' posts. Moreover, the students explained in their reflections how Telegram was useful for shy students who may feel uncomfortable engaging in traditional discussions in the lecture, as they become more active on Telegram discussions.…”

“Why Haven’t I Tried Twitter Until Now?”: Using Twitter in Teacher Education

“…Although the extant literature suggests that K-12 educators primarily have used Twitter for purposes of their own professional learning and development (Carpenter & Krutka, 2015), there is also a small body of research that points at potential uses of Twitter with K-12 students. For instance, Twitter has been employed to connect students to experts and formatively assess student understanding (Becker & Bishop, 2016), as well as to increase student engagement in discussions of class content (Hunter & Caraway, 2014). Given such uses of Twitter by K-12 educators, teacher educators have reason to consider possible applications of Twitter during teacher preparation.…”

A Syllabi Analysis of Social Media for Teaching and Learning Courses

“…It is fair to say that in the last two decades our extensive use of social media has changed our lives and the way we communicate with others, receive information, create content, share content with others, and entertain ourselves, among other actions. The use of social media is so widespread that it has even become part of our teaching and learning experiences in K-12 (Becker & Bishop, 2016), higher education (Evans, 2014), and professional development (Greenhalgh & Koehler, 2017). There are a multitude of cases and research projects in which investigators address how, when, why, and where social media was used as part of a learning experience (Dabbagh&Kitsantas, 2012;Manca& Ranieri, 2016).…”