How Social Presence on Twitter Impacts Student Engagement and Learning
How Social Presence on Twitter Impacts Student Engagement and Learning in a Grade 8 Mathematics Classroom by Shelly Vohra MA, University of Phoenix Online, 2004 BS, McMaster University, 1998 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Educational Technology Walden University May, 2016 Abstract Social media for personal use has evolved rapidly among adolescents, changing the way they communicate with each other. However, little research has been conducted about how teachers use social media in the classroom to improve student learning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe how social presence on Twitter impacts student engagement and learning when a mathematics teacher integrates this social media tool into an instructional unit. The conceptual framework was based on social presence theory developed by Short, Williams, and Christie. This qualitative study used a single case study design. Participants included 6 students and 1 classroom teacher in a Grade 8 mathematics course at a public middle school in a Canadian province. Data were collected from multiple sources including individual interviews, reflective journal responses from the teacher and students, documents such as course standards, and artifacts such as student tweets. Data were analyzed in the following way: interview and reflective journal data were coded for categories using the constant comparative method, and documents and artifacts were reviewed to identify emergent themes and discrepant data. Findings for this study indicated that Twitter had a positive impact on student engagement and learning of data management concepts. This study contributes to positive social change by providing a deeper understanding of how social media tools such as Twitter encourage students to create communities of learners to support each other during the learning process.Social media for personal use has evolved rapidly among adolescents, changing the way they communicate with each other. However, little research has been conducted about how teachers use social media in the classroom to improve student learning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe how social presence on Twitter impacts student engagement and learning when a mathematics teacher integrates this social media tool into an instructional unit. The conceptual framework was based on social presence theory developed by Short, Williams, and Christie. This qualitative study used a single case study design. Participants included 6 students and 1 classroom teacher in a Grade 8 mathematics course at a public middle school in a Canadian province. Data were collected from multiple sources including individual interviews, reflective journal responses from the teacher and students, documents such as course standards, and artifacts such as student tweets. Data were analyzed in the following way: interview and reflective journal data were coded for categories using the constant comparative method, and documents and artifacts were reviewed to identify emergent themes and discrepant data. Findings for this study indicated that Twitter had a positive impact on student engagement and learning of data management concepts. This study contributes to positive social change by providing a deeper understanding of how social media tools such as Twitter encourage students to create communities of learners to support each other during the learning process. How Social Presence on Twitter Impacts Student Engagement and Learning in a Grade 8 Mathematics Classroom by Shelly Vohra MA, University of Phoenix Online, 2004 BS, McMaster University, 1998 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Educational Technology Walden University May, 2016 Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my parents for their support and encouragement throughout my doctoral journey and helping me to meet all my professional and academic endeavors. Acknowledgments I want to thank my dissertation chairperson, Dr. Debra Piecka, who has been an incredible source of guidance, support, and encouragement throughout my doctoral journey. Your thought provoking questions challenged me to think more deeply about my research, and your sense of humor eased some of my stress on the toughest days. I also want to thank my methodology committee member, Dr. Deanna Boddie, for her guidance, advice, and assistance in helping me revise this document. Your attention to detail and your constructive feedback were valuable throughout the writing process. I am very grateful to both of you for your support, encouragement, and patience throughout the doctoral process. I also want to thank my mom and dad and the rest of my family for their support and encouragement during the last four years as I balanced working full time with my academic commitments. I am also very grateful to my friend and colleague, Jeannie Sroka who let me use her as a sounding board to brainstorm ideas; you provided invaluable suggestions and strategies during my journey and I am very lucky to call you a friend. Last but not least, to one of my best friends, Lisa Gagliostro, who was the one to persuade me to join the Twitter community, I would like to thank you. I would also like to express my gratitude to the classroom teacher and students who volunteered to participate in my study; without your contributions, I would not have been able to complete my study.