Twitter, a Learning Tool?

Call for more opportunities for academic professional development to enhance

quality in teaching and learning in higher education

(EU, 2014)

Survey of academics working in Irish higher education

revealed opportunities for informal peer exchange and learning needed (Slowey et

al, 2014)

'So called' Social Media experts such have described

the micro-blogging tool 'Twitter' as a Top Tool for

Professional Learning (Hart, 2014)

Exploring Social Media as Tool for Professional

Learning in Higher Education

Academic Development Landscape in Ireland

Data Analysis

Can Twitter be a professional learning tool?This case study explores Twitter usage by a group of Irish higher education

academics in support of professional learning

InformationRetrieval

Conversation Opinion Post

Twitter Activities

Participants

Twitter AnalysisTwitter data was collected via API tool (Hawskey 2012). Tweets analysed and coded according to activity, using Veletsianos (2012) codes, then recoded into themes

Interview DataParticipants were interviewed: they described using twitter for information retrieval, keeping up-to-date. Some described Twitter as triggering reflective thinking, only 3 participants gave evidence of change to practice as a result of twitter usage

Changes in Practice, Deep

Learning

Surface & Reflection

Surface Learning

Findings & Recommendations

• As educators we need to start thinking critically of how we use Twitter to enhance professional learning more effectively

• Engage in meaningful Twitter dialogue that triggers reflection and possible transformation of perspective and practice

• Develop Toolkit for Twitter for professional Learning

Next StepsWorkshops for AcademicsIn Jan 2015, I will host a workshop for academics on ‘Using Twitter more effectively for professional learning'

References:European Union (2014) Report to the European Commission on New modes of learning and teaching in higher education. http://ec.europa.eu/education/library/reports/modernisation-universities_en.pdfHart, J (2014) Top 100 Tools for Learning. http://c4lpt.co.uk/top100tools/. Slowey et al (2014) Voices of Academics in Irish Higher Education Perspectives on Professional Development. AISHE, Dublin, Ireland. http://www.aishe.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Voices-of-Academics-in-HE.pdfVeletsianos, G. (2012). Higher Education Scholars’ Participation and Practices on Twitter. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 28(4), 336-349. - See more at: http://www.veletsianos.com/publications/#sthash.JZL7JY3R.dpuf

Muireann O'KeeffeEdD student Institute of Education, London

Academic Developer Dublin City Universitymuireann.okeeffe@gmail.com