ERIC Number: EJ1314082
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 26
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0161-4681
EISSN: N/A
Social Media Utilization in Discourse Coalitions: The Opt-Out Movement in Ohio
Evans, Michael P.; Saultz, Andrew; Winton, Sue
Teachers College Record, v123 n5 2021
Background: While journalists claim social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have been central to the growth of the opt-out movement, there is a lack of empirical research that examines its use by participants. We address this gap by highlighting findings related to the usage of social media by opt-out participants in Ohio. Purpose: This study examines how the ideologically diverse participants in the Ohio opt-out movement utilized social media to support their activism. Subjects: 183 Ohioans who opted their child(ren) out during the 2014-15 academic year completed a survey about their reasons for opting out. Fifteen of the survey respondents were also interviewed. Research Design: This mixed methods study uses both survey data and qualitative interviews as sources of evidence. Results: The findings show participants utilized social media for networking, knowledge acquisition, knowledge mobilization, and support. Social media was a valuable tool for coordinating the efforts of participants. Conclusions: This study demonstrates how social media supported the development of a discourse coalition by enabling connections among actors with diverse political and philosophical beliefs and extending valuable networking opportunities across district and state lines.
Descriptors: Social Media, Standardized Tests, Educational Change, Activism, Parent Influence, Social Networks, Knowledge Level
Teachers College, Columbia University. P.O. Box 103, 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027. Tel: 212-678-3774; Fax: 212-678-6619; e-mail: tcr@tc.edu; Web site: http://www.tcrecord.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ohio
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A