ERIC Number: EJ1447697
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 27
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2168-9083
Small Historically Black Colleges and Universities Bridging Social Capital: The Use of Language, Tone, and Content to Share Information on Instagram
Pamela Peters
Journal of Research Initiatives, v8 n1 Article 1 2023
The COVID-19 pandemic has strained higher education institutions, especially small Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). As campuses closed and reopened, Black communities' digital divide grew, adding to the need to stay connected. This study uses social capital to examine how institutions use language, tone, content, and information to bridge social capital. An analysis of 35 small liberal arts HBCUs' Instagram posts was undertaken to compare post frequency, types of information, engagement, tone, language, and content in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic and during the pandemic, 2020 and 2021. This study indicates that post-oversaturation in 2020 and 2021 and information type may factor into post-engagement from stakeholders. Using a casual tone, language not using "your" terminology, and content without graphics has more engagement. More comments in 2020 and 2021 indicate that stakeholders may have sought to bridge social capital.
Descriptors: Black Colleges, Social Capital, Social Media, Small Colleges, Language Usage, Photography, Visual Aids, COVID-19, Pandemics, Information Dissemination, Content Analysis, Incidence, Stakeholders, Technology Uses in Education
Fayetteville State University, College of Education. 1200 Murchison Road, Fayetteville, NC 28301. Tel: 910-672-1634; Web site: https://digitalcommons.uncfsu.edu/jri/
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