ERIC Number: EJ1045881
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1539-3100
EISSN: N/A
Utilizing Twitter and #Hashtags toward Enhancing Student Learning in an Online Course Environment
Bledsoe, T. Scott; Harmeyer, Dave; Wu, Shuang Frances
International Journal of Distance Education Technologies, v12 n3 p75-83 Jul-Sep 2014
The authors offer an answer to the research question, To what extent and in what ways is Twitter helpful to student learning when group hashtags are created and used in collaborative educational environments? Sixty-two students in a spring 2012 graduate online Research Methodology course worked individually and in groups to create discussions on topics of interest through Twitter posts and student-created hashtags. Student participants answered nine qualitative and quantitative questions concerning the Twitter/hashtag exercise and used collaborative blog pages to reflect on their experiences. A grounded theory approach was applied to classify data generated from the nine questions and blog postings. An analysis of the study's data resulted in the discovery of the following four themes: access to information, communication, class engagement, and general feedback. Based on these themes, nine recommendations are offered for maximizing the use of Twitter in an online environment for increased student engagement and learning.
Descriptors: Social Networks, Educational Technology, Graduate Students, Online Courses, Research Methodology, Group Discussion, Electronic Publishing, Grounded Theory, Access to Information, Communication Strategies, Learner Engagement, Feedback (Response), Teaching Methods, Qualitative Research, Coding, Statistical Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A