This document describes the initial design and challenges of a pilot study on pre-service teachers' use of social media during school placements. The initial design involved integrating Facebook and Twitter groups for four PGCE groups. However, only two students volunteered for Twitter and none for Facebook. Additional recruitment attempts were unsuccessful. This was likely due to the demanding nature of placements and students already having their own social media groups. The focus then shifted to an online survey and interviews on perceptions of peer interaction and social media use during placements. But only 13 completed the survey and none agreed to interviews. Discussions with program leaders and applying an ethical framework led to a redesign focusing on how Greek pre-service teachers informally use social and participatory media to

1. Pre-service teachers’ perceptions andPre-service teachers’ perceptions and
use of social media during theiruse of social media during their
placements - Designing (and re-placements - Designing (and re-
designing) a pilot studydesigning) a pilot study
Konstantina KontopoulouKonstantina Kontopoulou
Doctoral Summer SchoolDoctoral Summer School
University of LeicesterUniversity of Leicester
29/6/201429/6/2014

2. Initial design of the pilot studyInitial design of the pilot study
The initial idea was to integrate two socialThe initial idea was to integrate two social
networks into PGCE school placementsnetworks into PGCE school placements
4 PGCE groups4 PGCE groups
Group1, 2: Join a Facebook groupGroup1, 2: Join a Facebook group
Group 3, 4: Use a Twitter hashtagGroup 3, 4: Use a Twitter hashtag
Research question: How do pre-service teachers useResearch question: How do pre-service teachers use
social media tools to interact with each other while onsocial media tools to interact with each other while on
school placement?school placement?

3. Data collection
3 phases: prior, during, post placements
 Questionnaire
 Interactions on social media
 Interview

4. Ethical considerationsEthical considerations
 Ethics approval for pilot studyEthics approval for pilot study
 PGCE programme leadersPGCE programme leaders
 Invitational email & video, Informed consentInvitational email & video, Informed consent
 Closed Facebook groupClosed Facebook group
 Encouraged participants to use a new Twitter accountEncouraged participants to use a new Twitter account
 The hashtag was not shared withThe hashtag was not shared with anyoneanyone

5. ProblemsProblems
 2 students volunteered to join Twitter (6 was the2 students volunteered to join Twitter (6 was the
anticipated number)anticipated number)
(18 tweets, 6 replies for a period of 1 month)(18 tweets, 6 replies for a period of 1 month)
 No students for FacebookNo students for Facebook
 22ndnd
attempt to recruit more students was alsoattempt to recruit more students was also
unsuccessfulunsuccessful

6. Possible reasons for small participationPossible reasons for small participation
 PGCE placements is a very demanding periodPGCE placements is a very demanding period
 Asking them to complete a questionnaire, join socialAsking them to complete a questionnaire, join social
media groups and participate in an interview was toomedia groups and participate in an interview was too
much. Invitational email was too lengthymuch. Invitational email was too lengthy
 They had their own groups on social media.They had their own groups on social media.
Therefore, no real benefit for themTherefore, no real benefit for them
 f2f recruitment might have helpedf2f recruitment might have helped

7. So… recruitment problems challenged theSo… recruitment problems challenged the directiondirection
of the pilot studyof the pilot study

8.  The focus of the research changed:
1. What are pre-service teachers' perceptions about the importance of peer interaction while on
school placements?
2. What are their perceptions about using social media during school placements to facilitate peer
interactions?
3. What factors influenced their choices to use or not use social media on school placements for peer
interaction?
 Online survey posted on social media & invitation to
interview.
 13 students answered the questionnaire, but none
agreed to the interview

9. An in depth discussion with programme leaders
helped me identify problems
 Too many invitations to research
 They had already formed their social media
groups

10. ETHICAL FRAMEWORK
 At this point, I applied Stutchbury & Fox (2009)
ethical framework in order to identify ways of
proceeding

11. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
4 dimensions
 1) Deontological considerations (doing your duty)
 2) Consequentialist considerations (multiple
beneficiaries)
 3) Individual/Relational considerations (establishing
trust)
 4) External/Ecological considerations (awareness of
context)

12. Ethical appraisal showed:Ethical appraisal showed:
Emphasis on the deontological layer (Avoidance ofEmphasis on the deontological layer (Avoidance of
wrong, fairness, telling the truth & reciprocity)wrong, fairness, telling the truth & reciprocity)
Not much emphasis on the other three dimensionsNot much emphasis on the other three dimensions

13. Examples:
Consequentialist considerations: What would be the
benefits for:
 Society
 Groups
 Individuals
 Researcher

14. Also need to focus on:
External considerations: Limited understanding of the
context
Individual considerations: Undue demands on the
participants’ time, no establishment of trust

15. Redesign of the pilot studyRedesign of the pilot study
1. Change of RQ into:1. Change of RQ into:
How do pre-service teachers in Greece use open, social andHow do pre-service teachers in Greece use open, social and
participatory media informally to support their learning?participatory media informally to support their learning?
2. Change of data collection methods: Survey, interview and2. Change of data collection methods: Survey, interview and
diarydiary
3.Change in context. Trainee teachers from Greece3.Change in context. Trainee teachers from Greece

16. Thank you!Thank you!
kk229@le.ac.ukkk229@le.ac.uk
@dinadina2Kon@dinadina2Kon