Being knowledge, power and profession subordinates: Students' perceptions of Twitter for learning

Abstract

Further conceptualisations are needed on students' actual engagement with and perceptions of Twitter for learning. A United Kingdom-based study with a cohort of Year1 Physiotherapy students is reported, identifying: 1) the frequency of student self-initiated use of social media (SM) and Twitter, and 2) perceptions of Twitter and factors that would discourage or facilitate students to use Twitter for learning. An optional Twitter learning activity was created for one module, but students opted not to contribute. Forty-three students were surveyed, and two focus groups held with 12 students. Results suggest the perceived role of Twitter to reinforce student knowledge and power subordination as opposed to leading users in disciplines or professions and act as a career/business tool. These are discussed and problematised, suggesting a 'digital information activation' (Dig-Info-Act) pedagogy with SM in HE, an orientation of acting upon SM information towards relevant change.Highlights: Student-reported uses of SM and Twitter for 'learning' is low; There were two main obstacles to contributing to Twitter: student use of technology for learning and students' perceptions of the Twitter platform; Students perceived Twitter in two dominant manners: as an employability tool and an SM tool for and led by celebrity-like, knowledgeable others, the Academic and Professional Twitterati (APT); Students adopted a 'subordinate' position to the APT; 'Twitter for learning' obstacles and enablers are here presented at a micro level and further development of a Digital Information Activation (Dig-Info-Act) Pedagogy is proposed, towards critical education and social change, as a way to pedagogically challenge student Twitter and SM subordination.

Use of Twitter across educational settings: a review of the literature

“…It was also attributed to be highly effective for language learning as it provided more access to the language related resources and interesting ways to practice it (Fewell, 2014). For the most part, respondents in a number of studies reacted positively to its inclusion in their courses (Jones et al, 2016;Lowe & Laffey, 2011;Luo, 2016;Tur & Marín, 2015), however, to make learning more effective and efficient, teachers and educators must explain its use within the course and how they expect it to be used (Lackovic, Kerry, Lowe, & Lowe, 2017).…”

Enhancing student employability through urban ecology fieldwork

“…Similarly, France et al (2016) also noted that Twitter could lead to good communication between groups. However, Lackovic et al (2017) found that physiotherapy students did not engage well with Twitter in teaching sessions because the students considered it a career tool and in their first year this was too early to consider their careers. This may represent a difference in the students' attitudes to preparing for the future between the disciplines or the emphasis on employability through the rest of the course in the two different institutions.…”

“…Twitter has also been used successfully for encouraging engagement in the field Welsh et al, 2015). Lackovic, Kerry, Lowe, and Lowe (2017) and Rinaldo, Tapp, and Laverie (2011) showed that students consider Twitter to be a tool for building their employability and, as such, it provides a familiar tool for students to begin using social media to start building their online professional identity.…”

Reflexiones sobre la integración de Twitter en educación superior a partir de una experiencia educativa con estudiantes de maestro

“…Cabe destacar también una mayor preocupación sobre los problemas de privacidad y la invasión de los espacios personales que pueden surgir como barreras para Twitter para el aprendizaje (Bower, 2017;Lin et al, 2013;Adams et al, 2018). En una investigación más reciente, Lackovic et al (2017) observan la evolución hacia una "celebrification" del uso de Twitter, que nos aleja de usos basados en la información y el conocimiento.…”

“…La popularidad de los medios sociales con finalidad educativa es actualmente indiscutible, especialmente en la Educación Superior (Lackovic et al, 2017). En los programas de formación de profesores, los medios sociales han sido un elemento clave para impulsar la innovación en el diseño del aprendizaje (Aguaded y López Meneses, 2009).…”