Educators use of social media for informal professional learning

Research Roundtable
Deborah J. Fucoloro, Ph.D.










GWCC B208, Table 3
International Society for Technology in Education Conference
Atlanta, Georgia
June 29, 2014






Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate educators perceptions and reported
behaviors associated with the use of social media for informal, professional learning. The
hope was to shine light on and honor the innovative and passionate educators who are
currently participating in these networks, and to provide a better understanding of what
drives them to unselfishly participate in these networks by sharing, discussing, reflecting,
and collaborating with other like-minded educators, on their own time, to advance their
own professional learning and that of their students. This study was motivated by the need
to promote effective and engaging use of technology in schools. The researcher hopes this
study expands our understanding of how to better support all educators professionally by
studying these early adopters who provided a depth of knowledge that should assist in the
reformation of how educators engage in professional learning and the important role social
media and the development of PLNs play in this endeavor, which may be applied to other
types of professional learning.

Research Questions
!" What are educators perceptions and reported behaviors associated with participation in
informal, online professional development networks?

1.a. What motivates educators to participate in informal professional development
networks?

1.b. What types of informal professional development networks do educators report
they use to connect with other educators to enhance their practice?

1.c. What specific informal professional development networks do educators report
they find most useful in order to improve their practice?

#" Do educators perceptions and reported behaviors associated with informal
professional development networks differ based on current assignment, years in
education, or age?

Methodology

This descriptive study included a survey instrument with both quantitative and
qualitative components that was administered to educators (n=133) via Twitter, Educators
PLN, and ISTE Community Ning using Zoomerang, an online third-party vendor.
Qualitative data was used to further corroborate or verify the quantitative data which
occurred during the data analysis stage.




Select Key Findings
1. Educators use Twitter significantly more than Blogs, RSS, Facebook, social
bookmarking, wikis, and Nings and marginally more than cloud storage and
sharing.



2. Favorite social media application to use for informal professional development is
Twitter. When asked why, open-ended responses revealed the following themes:
community, convenience, sharing, informal learning, professional improvement,
and isolation reduction.

3. Educators (99%) believed they should take personal responsibility for continued
professional growth and improvement.

4. Most educators (96%) believed they learned how to make effective use of
educational technology for instruction through informal/independent learningon
my ownthan through undergraduate teacher education programs, graduate
teacher education programs, professional development activities (workshops,
courses, etc.), or training provided by staff responsible for technology support
and/or integration at their school, district, or campus.

5. Most educators (97%) believed participating in informal professional development
networks using social media had helped them become better educators.

6. Administrators and classroom teachers had differing views concerning methods of
support and effectiveness of traditional PD for technology integration.

7. As age increased, level of confidence using educational technology for instruction
decreased. In a related finding, as age increased, PD activities made respondents
feel more prepared to make effective use of educational technology for instruction.

8. As age increased, use of social media for informal PD decreased.
New Paradigm

PLNs should be validated as a powerful professional development component
NOT traditional vs informal
but and MIX of traditional & emerging, formal & informal


Recommendations for Future Research

! Examine successful programs that are currently supporting the use of, giving credit to,
and recognizing educators for participation in informal, online professional
development networks.

! Is a correlation between participation in informal, online professional development
networks and:
! improved practice
! increased student learning
! increased technology integration
! increased confidence in technology integration and lesson planning
! increased feeling of belongingnessless isolation, greater sense of community
! increased satisfaction with personal professional development

! Conduct research on each of the above by demographic group: current assignment
(grade level, position, subject area, school setting), years in education, and age.

! Conduct longitudinal studies to investigate the quality of teacher education programs
and employer-provided professional development programs on the integration of
technology for instruction.

Implications for Educational Leaders
! Make technology integration a priority. Focus on sound pedagogy and lesson planning
rather than just tools and application use.

! Allow educators input regarding professional development by offering PD that is
differentiated and allows for self-direction similar to unconference or edcamp models,
cMOOCs, Twitter chats and/or GHOs.

! Provide professional development that is ongoing and job embedded.

! Encourage (dont demand) educator participation in informal, online professional
development networks, and support them as they develop PLNs.

! Explore ways that would support, honor, and give credit for the time spent in informal,
online professional development in order to improve practice and student learning and
engagement.

! Teacher education programs should focus on teaching the pedagogical aspects of
effective technology integration and preparing their students to use education
technology for instruction more effectively, leading by example and modeling best
practices in technology integration, thereby graduating students who are confident in
their ability to design technology-enhanced lessons.

! Administrators nee to lead by example by modeling effective use of technologyfor
example, in communicating with students, parents, and staff.

Implications for Educators
! Participate in informal, online professional learning by starting your won personal
learning network (PLN) built on your own needs and passionsstart small, find
mentors, be patient.

! Take responsibility for your own professional growth and improvement.

! Advocate for the legitimacy and recognition of time spent participating in informal,
online professional development networks.

! Advocate for professional development that is self-directed, differentiated, ongoing,
and job embedded.

! Be bold and share what you learn in these environments and encourage others to join in
the conversation.

! Model lifelong learning by staying as up to date as possible regarding technology
integration.





Full dissertation may be accessed on ProQuest.
Debbie Fucoloro
debbie.fucoloro@gmail.com
314-477-7828
@debbiefuco
The Educators Cafe