The document summarizes a qualitative study on lecturers' experiences and perceptions of using social media for learning and teaching at a large UK university. Focus groups revealed that successful social media use is influenced by three interdependent factors: personal experiences and attitudes, pedagogical needs, and institutional support. While personal perspectives and pedagogical needs are important, institutional support is foundational - clarity from the institution on its approach and how social media use is supported increases confidence and engagement. Tensions can arise from separating personal and professional identities online and between teaching/learning and promotional uses of social media.

1. Institutional Enablers for Social
Media for Learning
Dr Alison Purvis
Associate Dean Teaching and Learning
Sheffield Hallam University

2. • Qualitative study, large UK post-92 modern university (Sheffield Hallam University).
• Experiences and perceptions of lecturers and their use of social media in learning and teaching
contexts in different disciplines across the institution.
• Two focus groups revealed a range of complex and interdependent factors that influence the
successful use of social media for learning.
• Three different perspectives for consideration:
• personal (the experiences and attitudes of the lecturer and the student),
• pedagogy (demanded by the learning context in question)
• institutional (dictated or driven by the institution)
• Intersectionality of perspectives mean that each is critical for positive outcomes. However, the
institutional perspective is a foundational enabler.
Institutional Enablers for Social Media for Learning 2

3. • Personal perspectives and attitudes are enablers or inhibitors for using social
media
• Keeping personal and professional online identities and interactions separate. A
professional identity carefully curated and separate to the personal.
• Staff modelling good online professional practice to and with their learners
• The pressure of academic workload and available time to try new things was
reported as a key barrier to engagement with new technology.
• Confidence with digital technology and ownership of skill development was more
likely to result in engagement with social media for learning.
Institutional Enablers for Social Media for Learning 3

4. • Largely influenced by personal perspectives
• Willingness to explore or experiment with approaches to learning
• Shape and context of the working and learning landscapes
• Consideration of factors such as ethics of social media companies
• Where benefits are clear engagement was more likely regardless of other
perspectives
• Professional networks were more likely to be used than those perceived as social
only.
Institutional Enablers for Social Media for Learning 4

5. • Clarity about the institutional approach and the what and how social media use
is supported by the institution
• If specific guidance was in place, confidence was higher
• Tension with course marketing and use for teaching and learning
• Foundational – if the institutional perspective is clear, use for learning will be
increased
• Clarity of expectations
• Support for distinguishing personal and professional boundaries
Institutional Enablers for Social Media for Learning 5

6. Intersectionality of Perspectives
Identity
Institutional Enablers for Social Media for Learning 6
Ethics Professional Standards
Tension between
personal and
professional and how to
navigate personal,
teaching & learning, &
institutional marketing &
promotion.
Tension resulting from
the use of commercial
platforms that may not
have the users’ best
interests at heart, and
using platforms that are
authentically used in the
workplace.
A critical exploration of
standards and how they
are considered in a
digital context can be
supported in a safe and
guided learning
environment.

7. A clear statement about the support and
expectations for the use of social media
within the university community
Institutional Enablers for Social Media for Learning 7
Support and specific guidance for the use
of professional net- works which develop
staff and student professional identities
Principles for consideration in using social
media for learning and teaching
A protocol for guiding how social media
accounts are best administered for groups
and peer learning
Guidance for dealing with online behaviours
and encouraging positive and professional
online interactions.
Sharing of examples of pedagogic uses of
social media in practice.
Supporting appropriate risk-taking in
exploration of emergent social media
technologies

8. THANK YOU!
Purvis, Rodger &
Beckingham
(2020)
https://www.science
direct.com/science/
article/pii/S26663
74020300182