Presentation to 21st Academic Forum, Berkeley on 21 August 2014. This session presented the results of research into how Twitter is being employed by educators to support their professional learning. Based on the research results, the presentation outlined the advantages of Twitter as a professional learning tool and the implications this has for practice and for further research.

1. @carolskyring

2. The study
To examine the use of Twitter by educators to
support their professional learning and to
investigate the value that educators place on
Twitter as a professional learning tool.

3. Methodology
exploratory case study
three phases of data collection and analysis

4. COLLECTION 1
3855 Twitter posts
collected from 300
educators (24hrs)
ANALYSIS 1
Content analysis
of Twitter posts for
themes (CoI)
PHASE 1
COLLECTION 2
Online survey to
further explore
themes
ANALYSIS 2
Survey analysis and
identification of
interview subjects
PHASE 2
COLLECTION 3
One-on-one
interviews with 9
educators
ANALYSIS 3
Interview analysis
for deeper
understanding
PHASE 3
Data

5. Twitter activities
Share a resource e.g., website, book, video
Follow a link posted by someone in your network
Read activity updates of others in your network
Save a resource posted by someone in your network
Act on something you’ve read in a post
On-share a resource posted by someone in your
network

6. Twitter activities (cont.)
Engage in a conversation with someone in network
Go back to a saved resource posted by someone in
network
Use hashtags (#)
Search for content
Ask for a resource on a specific topic
Share information from a conference/workshop using#

7. access to timely information
making diverse and global
connections
access to valuable resources
access to advice and support
ability to attend a conference
“virtually” by following the
hashtags posted by others
engaging in conversations and
discussions
access to experts
keeping up with current trends
extending their networks beyond
their local area
reciprocity
learning
Advantages

8. Disadvantages
amount of information
time spent (can be “addictive” “irresistible”)
recognition as legitimate learning

9. Implications for practice
overcome poor perception of Twitter
certain knowledge and understanding of conventions
needed
staged introduction to people and existing networks

10. Further research
More experienced behave differently – benefit to
newbies being accelerated along this path?
How is this learning transferred into practice?
Comparative research into Twitter use in other
professions.
Attitudes of non-users and why they are not using
Twitter for professional learning.

11. Further information
http://eprints.qut.edu.au/65854/
@carolskyring
www.carolskyring.com