This document summarizes a study on teachers' use of social media in their classrooms. It interviewed 9 teachers who had varying levels of experience with social media. The teachers reported using social media like blogs, Facebook pages, Google Docs, and Twitter. Key findings included that teachers used social media to connect with students, although barriers like lack of time and technology issues existed. Using social media effectively required planning and linking it to educational outcomes. While some teachers saw no changes, others felt it made them more flexible and helped students feel empowered. Overall, social media use has the potential to enhance learning and change pedagogy when implemented properly.
1. Teaching With Social Media
Mike Nantais
Assistant Professor (BU)
Ph.D. candidate, University of Manitoba
2. Who is this guy?
& why is he doing this research?
3.
4. Research Purpose
Social Media in Teaching
How?
Why?
Results?
Supports?
Barriers/Challenges?
Change?
from the teachers’ perspective.
5. ★ Think - Pair -Share !
What is Social Media?
Tecc licensed ( BY NC SA ) flickr photo by dkuropatwa: http://flickr.com/photos/dkuropatwa/3862101829/xt
6. “Social Media . . . a moving target”
(Hogan & Quan-Haase, 2010)
7. I just think about a person using the computer to
communicate with somebody else. So to me, social media is
different from technology in a sense that it’s communicating
with another person or with another human being. !
(Nancy)
It would be communicating on a mass scale. So, traditionally
when we would email somebody or you would send a letter,
it’s a one to one kind of thing. But social media is . . . you are
reaching out to a large group of people for a larger audience.
(Joseph)
Social Media?
I think of Facebook, Twitter, about connecting, instant access to things like
news, information – not just local “our town” – but now global. !
(Anthony)
. . . is just . . . communication is what it is, a different form of communication. (Frank)
8. Social Media!
“a group of Internet-based
applications that build on the
ideological and technological
foundations of Web 2.0, and that
allow the creation and exchange of
user generated content”!
(Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010, p. 61)
9. • Qualitative multiple case study
• Interpretivist - contextual
• Social constructivist
• Purposeful & convenience
sampling procedure
The Study
10. The Study
• Nine cases (teachers) in Rural
Manitoba
• Grades 7 -12
• Several interviews over 6 months.
• Documents & social media
interactions
• Thematic analysis
12. The Participants
Name
Years
teaching
Self-rating
in social media
Main social media used in teaching
Ann 35 “beginner” Blogging – main project
Student use of Facebook, Twitter etc.
Nancy 32 “pretty low”
Blogging – main project
Use of Facebook, Twitter etc. by
Anthony 30 “novice” Google docs among many more
Joseph 26 “not that
knowledgeable”
Facebook page
(has used many others in the past)
Frank 22 “average … 6/10” Twitter, YouTube (also texting)
John 14 “needs to get better” Blogging
Mary 14 “above very good” Facebook pages
(has used social ‘trivia’ sites)
Sally 13 “beginner” Google docs, wiki, YouTube
James 7 “very comfortable . . .
use it often”
Google docs, Twitter (also texting)
Summary of Participants: Years of Experience and Social Media Use
15. Why use it?
“I can see that's where the kids are at,
they want to be using those tools” (Ann)
“They are tethered to them. . . . They’re
connected. They are wired differently and we
have to accept it, so why not teach them
more about it?” (James)
“It’s part of the life of our students in our
school . . . you are relating to kids in their
own lingo.” (Joseph)
16.
17. Ethical & Appropriate Use
cc licensed ( BY NC SA ) flickr photo by darrendraper: http://flickr.com/photos/darrendraper/3199912725/
19. Supports, Barriers, Challenges …
Technology: “If it doesn’t work, you kind of forget about it . . .
I would say that’s my biggest beef with technology.” (John)
20. Supports, Barriers, Challenges …
Technology: “If it doesn’t work, you kind of forget about it . . .
I would say that’s my biggest beef with technology.” (John)
Time: “I just haven’t got time now.” (Frank)!!
“. . . time to learn all this and keep up with all your [other]school stuff.” (Sally)
21. Supports, Barriers, Challenges …
Technology: “If it doesn’t work, you kind of forget about it . . .
I would say that’s my biggest beef with technology.” (John)
“No matter what tools we use in the classroom, there are
always going to be plusses and minuses . . . it’s just one
more thing, one more trade-off.” (Mary)
Time: “I just haven’t got time now.” (Frank)!!
“. . . time to learn all this and keep up with all your [other]school stuff.” (Sally)
34. Change?
“No fundamental changes . . . who I am is who I am.” (Ann)
“It’s just incorporated something else” (Joseph)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/23208360@N07/4497654605/
35. Change?
“No fundamental changes . . . who I am is who I am.” (Ann)
“It’s just incorporated something else” (Joseph)
Oh I think so, I think very much so.” (Anthony)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/23208360@N07/4497654605/
36. Change?
“No fundamental changes . . . who I am is who I am.” (Ann)
“It’s just incorporated something else” (Joseph)
“It’s made me take more chances . . . I am not afraid to use it
anymore” (John)!
Oh I think so, I think very much so.” (Anthony)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/23208360@N07/4497654605/
37. Change?
“No fundamental changes . . . who I am is who I am.” (Ann)
“It’s just incorporated something else” (Joseph)
“It’s made me take more chances . . . I am not afraid to use it
anymore” (John)!
“I have really gone to a more flexible schedule with the kids . . .
social media certainly has helped that.” (Mary)!
Oh I think so, I think very much so.” (Anthony)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/23208360@N07/4497654605/
39. I think it gives them [students] a
“sense of empowerment” (John)Change?
40. I think it gives them [students] a
“sense of empowerment” (John)
I think the kids are more informed with social media . . .they are more connected with each of their
subjects.” (Anthony)
Change?
41. I think it gives them [students] a
“sense of empowerment” (John)
I think the kids are more informed with social media . . .they are more connected with each of their
subjects.” (Anthony)
Change?
“What’s been gained is, believe it or not, you connect more
with the kids.” (Frank)
42. I think it gives them [students] a
“sense of empowerment” (John)
I think the kids are more informed with social media . . .they are more connected with each of their
subjects.” (Anthony)
Change?
“What’s been gained is, believe it or not, you connect more
with the kids.” (Frank)
“I think before there was this tension, there was this us versusthem mentality where the kids where trying to hide and pull oneover on the teacher and you don’t see that anymore. You seethe kids being comfy in . . . communicating on a different levelwith teachers now.” (John)
46. Participant’s Advice
“Use it, try it, get comfortable with it yourself”!
(James)
“Learn about it first”!
(Sally)
“Set aside time time to plan for the use of it, and always know
how it links to curricular outcomes.”!
(Ann)
47. Participant’s Advice
“Use it, try it, get comfortable with it yourself”!
(James)
“Learn about it first”!
(Sally)
“Set aside time time to plan for the use of it, and always know
how it links to curricular outcomes.”!
(Ann)
“[Don’t use it just] for the
sake of using social
media.”!
(Joseph)
48. Participant’s Advice
“Use it, try it, get comfortable with it yourself”!
(James)
“Learn about it first”!
(Sally)
“Set aside time time to plan for the use of it, and always know
how it links to curricular outcomes.”!
(Ann)
“[Don’t use it just] for the
sake of using social
media.”!
(Joseph)
“Embrace it. Let the kids
roll with it. Give them
some control . . .”!
(Anthony)
53. (Some) Conclusions
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonahowie/8583949219/in/photostream/
Utilizing social media effectively in teaching would benefit from!
!
~ a particular purpose, with a well-thought out plan.!
~ professional learning opportunities.!
~ time - for exploration & planning
The use of social media has the potential to lead to:
~ pedagogical change, ranging from additional strategies to the
potential for transformative change.
54. (Some) Conclusions
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonahowie/8583949219/in/photostream/
Utilizing social media effectively in teaching would benefit from!
!
~ a particular purpose, with a well-thought out plan.!
~ professional learning opportunities.!
~ time - for exploration & planning
The use of social media has the potential to lead to:
~ pedagogical change, ranging from additional strategies to the
potential for transformative change.
~ enhance a school environment based on trust, responsibility,
communication & student empowerment.
55. (Some) Conclusions
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonahowie/8583949219/in/photostream/
Utilizing social media effectively in teaching would benefit from!
!
~ a particular purpose, with a well-thought out plan.!
~ professional learning opportunities.!
~ time - for exploration & planning
The use of social media has the potential to lead to:
~ pedagogical change, ranging from additional strategies to the
potential for transformative change.
~ enhance a school environment based on trust, responsibility,
communication & student empowerment.
There is a need for research into the use of social media for
learning/teaching.