This document summarizes a presentation on using social media as a research tool. It discusses what social media is, provides examples of how researchers have used Facebook and VoiceThread for studies, and categorizes social media as either a product or process tool. The presentation also outlines challenges and benefits of social media research and asks when the benefits outweigh the challenges. It concludes by providing contact information for further discussion.

1. Social Media as a Research Tool
Dr. Camille Rutherford, @crutherford
Zoe Branigan-Pipe, @zbpipe
Brock University, Faculty of Education

2. Agenda
• What is social media?
• Examples of social media research
• Facebook & Teacher Knowledge Development
• Voice Thread ....
• Social media as a product or process tool
• Challenges & benefits of using social media
• Discussion: When do the benefits outweigh
the challenges?

3. What is Social Media
Social media is characterized as Web 2.0 resources that emphasize
active participation, connectivity, collaboration, and
sharing of knowledge and ideas among users (McLoughlin & Lee, 2007)

4. Facebook & Teacher Knowledge Development
Dr. Camille Rutherford
Brock University
AERA 2009

5. are?
I c
ou ld
sh
W hy
Facebook & Teacher Knowledge Development
Dr. Camille Rutherford
Brock University
AERA 2009

6. Facebook Teacher Groups

7. Facebook Teacher Groups

9. How are teachers using Facebook to
support their knowledge development?
How can researchers make sense of what
has taken place?

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13. Shulman’s Categorization
Content Knowledge
Curriculum Knowledge
Employment*
General Pedagogical Knowledge
Knowledge of Educational Contexts
Knowledge of Educational Ends
Knowledge of Learners
Other*
Pedagogical Content Knowledge
*Author created category

14. Methodology
‣Ontariogroup resource and idea
sharing
Teachers,
‣ Over 8,000 members
‣ Group membersof the 2007/2008 schooltopics
over the course
created 249 discussion
year
‣ Examined 187 opening discussion posts after
solo post were excluded
‣ Inter-rater reliability percentage of agreement
was 80%

15. Results
Content Knowledge 3
Curriculum Knowledge 37
Employment* 42
General Pedagogical Knowledge 18
Knowledge of Educational Contexts 16
Knowledge of Educational Ends 0
Knowledge of Learners 5
Other* 17
Pedagogical Content Knowledge 49
*Author created category

16. Results
Content
Knowledge
2%
20%
26%
Curricular Knowledge
Pedagogical Content
Knowledge
Other*
9% Employment*
22%
3% General
Pedagogical
9% Knowledge
Knowledge of 10%
Knowledge Educational
of Learners Contexts

17. wordle.net

18. Pedagogical Content
Knowledge
Content
Does anyone Knowledge
2%
have some 26%
Pedagogical Content
20%
creative ideas Knowledge
Curricular Knowledge
for the liquids
and solids unit? Other*
I would 9% Employment*
22%
appreciate 3% General
Pedagogical
9% Knowledge
anything you Knowledge of 10%
Knowledge Educational
of Learners Contexts

19. Employment
Content
Knowledge
2%
I was just
20%
26%
Curricular Knowledge
wondering if
Pedagogical Content
Knowledge
anyone had any
tips on what type
of questions will be
Other* asked in an
9% Employment*
22%
interview for the
General
3%
Pedagogical supply list (public
9% Knowledge
10% and catholic)? Any
Knowledge of
e Educational
rs Contexts

20. Curricular Knowledge
I just accepted a
position at a
Content
Knowledge
private high school,
2% 20% and I will be
26%
Curricular Knowledge teaching gr. 9 and
Pedagogical Content 10 french. French is
Knowledge not one of my
teachables, but I
have taken several
Other*
Employment*
french classes at
9%
22% college. Does
3% General
Pedagogical
anyone have any
9% Knowledge online resources or
10%
Knowledge of good books that
Educational
e
Contexts
will help me teach
rs

21. General Pedagogical
Knowledge
Content I've just landed a
Knowledge
2% job teaching math
and science to a
26%
20%
grade 7/8 split and
Pedagogical Content
Curricular Knowledge to a grade 9 class
Knowledge on a first nations
reserve. Very small
classes with very
Other*
9% Employment*
big behavioural
22% issues and about
3% half on IEP's, mostly
9% for reading ...
Knowledge of These kids are
Educational bouncing off the
s
Contexts 10%
General walls. My main
Pedagogical worry is classroom
Knowledge

22. Knowledge of Learners /
Educational Contexts
Knowledge of Learners
I'm a grade 5 teacher Content
who was just informed Knowledge
2%
today that I will be
doing planning time 26%
20%
coverage 2-3 periods a Pedagogical Content
Curricular Knowledge
week in our ASD Knowledge
classroom. Does anyone
have any suggestions or
Knowledge of Educational Contexts Other*
9% Employment*
How much of your own 22%
General
money did you spend Pedagogical
on classroom Knowledge
decorations and 3%
9%
10%
materials when you Knowledge
of LearnersKnowledge of
started your first full
Educational
time position? What Contexts
kind of materials

23. Other
Content
I'm teaching a Knowledge
2%
5/6 class and 20%
would love to 26%
Pedagogical Content
Curricular Knowledge
give them Knowledge
something
small for
Christmas, but I Other*
9%
Employment*
22%
am having a 3% General
Pedagogical
hard time 9% Knowledge
10%
thinking of Knowledge of
Educational
Knowledge
cheap ideas for of Learners
Contexts

25. re ?
I ca
ould
s h
h y
W

26. Conclusion
Content
Knowledge
2%
26% 20%
Pedagogical Curricular
Content Knowledge
Knowledge
Employment*
Other General
22%
9% 3% Pedagogical
Knowledge
9%
Knowledge of
10%
Knowledge Educational
of Learners Contexts

27. Conclusion
Content
Knowledge
2%
26% 20%
Pedagogical Curricular
Content Knowledge
Knowledge
Employment*
Other General
22%
9% 3% Pedagogical
Knowledge
9%
Knowledge of
10%
Knowledge Educational
of Learners Contexts

28. Conclusion
✓Shulman’s categorization
can be used as an effective
sorting mechanism for Content
Knowledge
2%
teacher online discussions. 26%
Pedagogical
20%
Curricular
Content Knowledge
Knowledge
Employment*
Other General
22%
9% 3% Pedagogical
Knowledge
9%
Knowledge of
10%
Knowledge Educational
of Learners Contexts

29. Conclusion
✓Shulman’s categorization
can be used as an effective
sorting mechanism for Content
Knowledge
2%
teacher online discussions. 26%
Pedagogical
20%
Curricular
Knowledge
✓Using Shulman’s that
Content
Knowledge
Employment*
categories highlights Other
9% General
22%
3% Pedagogical
the majority of what is 9%
Knowledge of
Knowledge
10%
taking place can be Knowledge
of Learners
Educational
Contexts
considered teacher
knowledge development.

30. Implications
‣ Demonstrates that teachers are using social media to
support knowledge development.
‣ Broaden our conceptions of professional
development to include social/informal learning.
‣ Encourage & support teacher use of Facebook /
social media.
‣ Need to understandthe benefits. are using social
media and examine
why teachers
‣ Investigate potentialmedia can be used to identify
leadership
if social
(Social network analysis).
‣ Create new approaches to teacher professional
development that capitalize on social media.

32. Social Media
Research Examples
Product Process
Using social media Using social media
as a data source as part of the
research process
‣ Collecting data from
Facebook, Twitter,Voice
Thread, blogs, discussion
‣ Recruitment & selection
of participants
forums, wikis, chat
room... ‣ Interaction with
participants (Ethnography)
‣ Quantitative analysis of
data ‣ Collaboration amongst
researchers
‣ Qualitative analysis of
data
‣ Sharing & Dissemination
‣ Social network analysis
of participants/data

33. Social Media Benefits
‣ Popularity
‣ Participant selection
‣ Expanded scale & scope of sample
‣ Timeliness & immediacy
‣ Ease & accessibility
‣ Multi-modal responses
‣ Cost effective
‣ Digital data

34. Social Media Challenges
‣ Skewed participant sample (Digital divide)
‣ Does the medium influence the data
‣ Participant interaction/influence (Group think)
‣ Research ethics:
‣ What is public/private?
‣ Anonymity & IP addresses
‣ Informed consent in the social media
environment
‣ Rapidly changing environment

35. Discussion:
When do the benefits outweigh the challenges?
Benefits
Challenges

36. Social Media as a Research Tool:
to continue the conversation
Zoe Branigan-Pipe,
zbraniganpipe@brocku.ca
www.twitter.com/zbpipe
http://pipedreams-education.ca/
Dr. Camille Rutherford,
crutherford@brocku.ca
www.twitter.com/crutherford
http://drcamillerutherford.blogspot.com/